Slacker
by GothicDream
Summary: Vegeta, star football player and bar bouncer, is struggling to work through highschool and go to college, but when a person from his past returns, his life is thrown into chaos. No one wants to cut him a break. BV, GCC, KJuu. Warning: Violence.
1. Intro

Hello! This is **_GothicDream_**! Well I've seen so many High school fics that I decided to make one of my own. This will have a bit of action/adventure and some romance too. I'll try not to make it boring.

Small Intro:

Okay. There used to be two high schools in West City: Kennedy and Carver. Somehow it was decided that the two schools would merge together to make one big school. That's how the gang will meet.

Character Explanations:

Meet Vegeta, a 17 year old in high school who plays football and works, illegally, as a bar room bouncer. Vegeta's survived a rather tragic childhood, with little help from others. He's not very trusting, and doesn't like having friends. Nonetheless, he's the most popular boy in school, and this probably annoys him most of all.

Goku is one of Vegeta's only friends, and has been throughout their years of knowing each other. Originally a country boy, his grandfather sent him to the city for schooling. Goku's quick to make friends and is always loyal and kindhearted.

Bulma's little clique, more wealthy kids from uptown, meet Vegeta and Goku when their schools merge. These kids are normal rich teenagers, who have lots of drama, but still stay close friends through it all.

Everyone in this fic is 17.

**Warning**: Will have some violence.


	2. New School

Chapter 1- New School

            "Wow!" Bulma exclaimed looking around at all the people. "Kennedy High must've been a pretty big school! We didn't have near this many kids back at Carver."

            "Yeah." ChiChi said. "I wonder if we'll meet anybody new. Maybe some cute guys."

            "Well if the boys from Kennedy look at all like the ones from Carver, I wouldn't count on it." Juuanchi put in.

            "Hey!" Krillin and Yamcha yelled offended.

            Bulma and ChiChi giggled.

            "Well. Why don't we go introduce ourselves to some people?" Bulma said.

            Just them the bell rang signaling for them to go to their first hour class. They all walked into the main building, except for Krillin, who had Gym first.

            "Oh. Well. I guess we could meet some people during class. Who you got?" ChiChi asked.

            "I've got Computer-Tech, then Advanced English, then Trigonometry, Health, then Lunch." Bulma said looking at her schedule.

            "Hey we take English together!" ChiChi exclaimed. 

            "What about you Yamcha?" Bulma asked.

            "Umm." He started, a bit embarrassed by his schedule. "I've got Applied Math, PE, Family Study, Workshop, then Lunch."

            Bulma raised an eyebrow at him. "Why are you taking such easy classes?"

            "Well. I don't know. I'm not a genius like you." He pouted.

            "We all knew that." Juuanchi said. "But applied math?"

            "Well...I...I gotta get to class." He said then turned down the hall he figured his class would be on.

            The others figured that Yamcha was right, for once, and headed toward where they thought there classes would be too.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            It was well past the tardy bell when ChiChi arrived at her first hour class. From the looks of it, lots of other kids had gotten lost in the giant school too. They had maps, but it was stil hard to find their class.

            The teacher was sitting at her desk, trying to be patient with all of the late kids, some of which hadn't arrived yet. 

            "Welcome to Home-EC." The teacher said putting on a very fake smile. What's your name, please?"

            "ChiChi." She said. "ChiChi Son."

            "Son..." The teacher mumbled dragging her pen down the name list. "Oh here." She put a check on the paper. "Well my name is Ms. Wemlon. Please feel free to look around the classroom until everyone else gets here."

            "Okay." ChiChi said walking away.

            She looked around the classroom seeing a few people she knew, although not very well. Finally she spotted a boy with wierd spiky hair that went in all directions. She didn't know him, so she decided to go introduce herself. 

            She approached the boy, well he wasn't really a "boy", she decided. He was about a foot taller that her. 

            "Hello." She said cheerfully.

            The "boy" paid no attention to her. He seemed to be staring intently at a poster of the food pyramid.

            "Hello." She said louder poking him in the arm. It was very rude to ignore people.

            This time she did get his attention. "Oh! Hello!" He said putting his hand behind his head and a big goofy smile on his face. "Sorry I was daydreaming."

            "About food?" ChiChi asked cocking an eyebrow. 

            "Sure! I do it all the time." He seemed to remember what he was doing and quickly pulled his hand from behind his head and stuck it out to her for her to shake. "I don't think I've ever seen you before. I'm Goku." He said still smiling.

            "I'm ChiChi." She said accepting the shake. She thought that Goku was severely psychotic, but she somehow found herself liking him.

            "Well ChiChi," Goku said. "Would you like to be my Home EC partner, by the way that's how they do it here, partners I mean."

            "Sure." ChiChi said and followed him to a table.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bulma hadn't had very much trouble finding her first class, although she hadn't made it before the tardy bell. The teacher had spent the entire class telling everyone the 'classroom rules'. Bulma had figured that would happen and had brought her CD player to pass the time.

            She had met a few people already, but most of them were nerds.

            Once there had been an all page, but Bulma couldn't hear it clearly over the headphones. She figured that it was probably just somebody skipping class, and so had settled back on her music.

            The bell rang and the whole class filed out of the room. 

            "Okay" Bulma mumbled to herself trying to look at her map, the numbers and letters on the wall, and not run into someone at the same time. "I need to go upstairs to the third floor, down 'K' hall and to the third door on the right."

            After a little bit of walking and a couple of wrong turns, she finally made it to the right classroom. She found a seat in the back and sat down. Not many people were there yet. After a few minutes, ChiChi walked in. She looked around, spotted Bulma and walked directly to the empty seat in front of her.

            "Hey Bulma." ChiChi said turning around, "Met anybody."

            "Oh." Bulma said in overly emotional sarcasm. "A couple nerds, a couple dweebs. All dorks. What about you?"

            Bulma was almost sorry that she had asked the question, because ChiChi just about exploded with a story. "Oh Bulma! He's so cute. At first I thought he was mental, and then I started talking to him and he's so nice. He used live with his grandpa but he lived very far away from any cities. So his grandpa sent him here to go to school. And he has his own apartment. He knows martial arts, and he plays football, and..."

            "Wait! Wait! Wait, ChiChi!" Bulma all but yelled to be heard over ChiChi's rambling. ChiChi immediately stopped.

            "What's his name?" Bulma asked in a very calm voice compared to the one she had just used.

            "Oh. His name is Goku. Didn't I tell you that?"

            "No."

            "Oh... Well, anyways. He..."

            "Class!" The teacher yelled gaining everyone's attention. "Good Morning. I am Mr. Dilloir." He turned and pointed to his name that was written on the board. "Now before I get into the rules, I'm going to call role." He pulled out a grade book and started calling out names. "Alanson,"

            "Here" A boy with brown hair said.

            "Alleman,"

            "Here" Another student said.

            "Boudreaux,"   

            "Here."

            "Briefs."

            "Here." Bulma said waving her hand in the air so the teacher would see her.

            Mr. Dilloir continued to call through students' names.

            "Oakley,"

            "Here."

            "Oubre,"

            "Here."

            "Ouji" Mr. Dilloir paused like he did for all the other kids waiting for a response. None came. "Ouji." He repeated. "Vegeta Ouji." Still no answer. 

            Mr. Dilloir finally lifted his eyes from the grade book to scan the class. Upon not seeing who he was looking for, he got off his stool. "I've heard of him." He mumbled. "The boy's smart enough, but he's good for nothing." 

             He pressed the button for the intercom. 

            Yes The secretary's voice sounded from the intercom.

            "This is Mr. Dillard. Can you please All-Page Vegeta Ouji to report to room K-3?"

            The secretary's sigh could be heard through the intercom. I can try Mr. Dilloir, but I've already called him this morning.

            "Alright." Mr. Dilloir said, as the intercom cut off, and returned to calling role.

            "Goku knows that guy." ChiChi said turning back around to Bulma.

            "What guy?" Bulma asked.

            "Vegeta Ouji. Didn't you hear them paging for him during first hour?"

            " I did hear an All-Page. Well sorta. I couldn't make out what they were saying. I was listening to my CD player." She answered not really interested in whoever this Ouji guy was.

            "Well anyway. He was the star football player back at Kennedy. He's supposed to be really strong. But Goku said he had a pretty rough childhood, so he's not really a people-person."

            "What do you mean?" Bulma asked feeling kind of sorry for the guy.

            "I don't really know. Goku wouldn't give me any details. He said that Vegeta doesn't like to talk about it and that it was best if no one else did either."

            "Oh." Bulma said. "So what does he look like?"

            "Well Goku didn't tell me this, but some girls were talking about him and they said he was totally hot, and supposedly single."

            "Girls in the back!" Mr. Dilloir yelled interrupting their conversation. "I am now going over the rules, so if you would please listen."

             Bulma and ChiChi didn't talk for the rest of the hour.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            It was basically the same thing in all of her classes. She had tried to push thoughts of the Ouji guy out of her head, but every time she did there would be another All-Page looking for him. Every time she'd hear his name she would get more curious about him. 

            Finally it was time for lunch. It didn't take her long to find ChiChi and the rest of the gang. Yamcha wasn't there because it had been decided that he would go to McDonalds and get all their food.

            ChiChi, Krillin, and Juuanchi were all sitting at one of the many tables in the schoolyard. (yes they're outside)

            "So where's this Goku guy?" Bulma asked ChiChi as she sat down.

            "That's what I was wondering." Juuanchi said.

            "He's coming." ChiChi said.

            A few seconds later, a pretty tall guy with weird hair came running towards them. "Hey ChiChi!" He yelled.

            ChiChi jumped out of her chair. "Hey Goku!" She exclaimed when he got to the table. "This is Krillin, Juuanchi, and Bulma." She pointed to each of them as she said their names.

            "Hi. Uh. I'm Goku." He said putting his hand behind his head smiling. "Do...um... Do any of you have anything to eat? I'm starved."

            "Well." Bulma said pulling out her cell phone. "If you want, I could tell Yamcha to pick you something up at McDonalds."

            "Sure. That sounds great."

            Bulma dialed the number and waited until Yamcha picked up. "Hey. It's Bulma. I need you to add something to the order. Okay." She put her hand over the phone and turned to Goku "What do you want?"

             "Three number 3's, four number 4's, and five number 5's."

            "Seriously?" Bulma asked monotonously.

            "Sure." He answered.

            Bulma shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well Yamcha's paying, not me." She mumbled to herself and put the phone back up to her ear. "Yamcha, we need three number 3's, four number 4's, and five number 5's... No that's not for me!" She turned back to Goku. "Is that all you want."

            "Uhhh...A coke too."

            Bulma repeated the rest of Goku's order and hung up.

            They talked for a while until Yamcha got back with the food. ChiChi introduced Goku to Yamcha, and then everyone sat down to eat. Yamcha, Bulma, Krillin, and Juuanchi sat there amazed as they watched Goku eat all of his food in only five minutes. 

            After everyone finished eating, there was another All Page for Vegeta. This time it was the Principal, not the secretary.

            VEGETA OUJI! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE! I WANT YOU IN MY OFFICE IN ONE MINUTE OR I WILL COME AND GET YOU MYSELF He yelled.

            Goku looked up and sighed. "I guess I'd better go and talk to Vegeta."

            "Can I come with you? I'd like to meet him." Bulma spoke up before Goku could leave.

            "Yeah me too." ChiChi added.

            Goku looked at them. "I'm sorry guys. But when I saw Vegeta this morning he looked pissed enough to hurt somebody. I don't think it would be smart to introduce you to him now. Maybe I'll introduce you tomorrow."

            And with that, he ran off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hi everybody! High school fics seem to be pretty popular, so I thought I'd try to do one. This one won't be just high school though, there will be a bigger plot to it trust me. It will have a bit of romance and some action/adventure.                                                                                                                              **_                                                                                                 ~GothicDream_**           


	3. Let's Talk

Chapter 2- Let's Talk

            "Vegeta!" Goku exclaimed happily ignoring his friend's bad mood. 

            Goku knew Vegeta well enough to know where he would be. He had figured that Vegeta would either be on the roof or at the top of the bleachers, and he had been right. Before he had met with ChiChi, he had checked the roof and Vegeta hadn't been there. With that option scratched, he had headed straight to the bleachers when he heard the principal's rants.

            "What do you want" Vegeta said without looking at him.

            "Why weren't you in class all day?" Goku asked.

            "Because all the teachers are idiots." He said simply.

            "I know there is more than that, Vegeta. You can't fool me."

            "Leave me alone, Goku."

            "Oh. Come on, Vegeta. If you tell me, I might be able to help."

            "I don't need your help so go away."

            Goku sighed. He knew that there was no use trying to argue with Vegeta when he was mad, or any time for that matter. "Alright, Vegeta. But if you want to talk or something, you know where to find me." He said and started to walk away. 

            Vegeta just hmphed. 

            "Oh. And if I were you, I'd head to the Principal's office. You know how they are. If he can't get you to do what he wants, he'll bring coach into it."

            And with that, he left.

            Vegeta sat on the bleachers for a few minutes thinking about what Goku had just told him. Of course he had known it already, but he had put it aside until now. Sighing, he stood up and started making his way to the principal's office.

            He tried to make his way through the campus without being noticed, but it didn't help that more than half the people knew him. And those who didn't know him, were being shown who he was by those who did.

            He growled at how stupid people could be. Didn't they realize that half of them were going to become drug addicts and die before age fifty? Or that the girls were going to have abusive boyfriends who are going to beat them and their kids an then eventually kill them. And then a good portion of them were going to be homeless and living on the street with their only possession a styrofoam cup. He'd probably be in that category.

            He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice he had walked to the office until he was actually in it.

            _Hm. Imagine that. Vegeta mused to himself stepping up to the secretary's desk._

            "Can I help you?" The secretary asked without pausing from her typing or even looking up.

            "Vegeta Ouji. You were calling for me." He answered coolly.

            Now the secretary looked up from her work. She gave him a quick scoping before pressing a button and alerting the principal that he was here. "Go one in." She said turning back to her typing..

            Vegeta did as he was told.

            "Vegeta Ouji." The principal, Mr. Kozaku or so it said on the desk, greeted. "Please sit down." He pointed to a chair on the other side of his desk.

            Vegeta plopped down in it not taking his eyes off the Mr. Kozaku. "So what do you want?" He asked bluntly. He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.

            "Well you were skipping class. Why?"

            "Because I didn't feel like going. What kind of question is that?"

            "Vegeta. You can not skip class just because you don't feel like going."

            "So what's your point?"

            "Vegeta. You have to go to class. Look I have read your files, and I just want you to know that we have guidance counselors, and peer mediation..."

            "Look!" Vegeta interrupted jumping up from his chair. " I don't need your help or anybody else's. And if that's all you wanted to talk to me about, then I'm leaving."

            "Vegeta. No that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. Now come sit back down."

            Vegeta did, albeit grudgingly.

            "Now. What I wanted to talk to you about is your scholarship."

            Vegeta's spine straightened a bit at the mention of his scholarship. "What about it?"

            "Now As you know it is a great honor to be able to attend Northern, and an even greater honor to get a scholarship to go there and play on their football team."

            "And your point is?"

            "Well Vegeta I am really sorry to have to do this to you, but I have to. You know that if you are kicked off of our football team, you will lose your scholarship."

            "What! You're kicking me off?!"

            "Wait. Let me finish." Mr. Kozaku said calmly. "Now, you also know that if you fail even one class, you get kicked off. Well I have just been informed that the qualifications to get into Northern have been raised. If you get lower than a 'B' in any class you lose your scholarship. Also, if you get one referral, or if any teachers have problems with you or your attitude, you will not remain on the team and you lose your scholarship. If you have too many unexcused tardies or absentees you..."

            "I GET IT!" Vegeta yelled. "Is that all you wanted me for?" He got up out of his chair once again.

            "If I can suggest something." He looked at Vegeta who gave him a look that said 'you might as well' and continued. "Why don't you get a job with more decent hours?"

            "Doing what?" Vegeta said sarcastically.

            "I don't know. But you're a very talented young man. I'm sure you could find something."

            "Hmph. I like my job. And if that is all?" He said opening the door and stepping out.

            "Just think about it. This is for your own good." Mr. Kozaku called from back in his office.

            "Yeah right." Vegeta mumbled walking out of the office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "So what do you have after lunch?" ChiChi asked Bulma.

            "PE, and French." She answered simply.

            "Oh." ChiChi said. "I have geometry and then PE."

            "Hey ChiChi!" Goku said excitedly rejoining the rest of the group. "You have PE with me and Vegeta. I'll introduce you to him then. He likes PE, so he shouldn't be too mad."

            "What was wrong with him in the first place?" ChiChi asked trying to hide her excitement for meeting the most famous football player in school.

            "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me. But he should be in class." He said and then added as an after thought. "I hope so anyway."

            "Aww. That's not fair. I wanted to meet him." Bulma pouted.

            "I do too." Yamcha said. "He can't be as great as everybody says."

            Goku ignored Yamcha's last comment. "Hey guys. I think the bell is about to ring. We oughta start walking to class.." Just as he said that the bell rang. He put his hand behind his head and his big goofy smile on his face. "HeHe. I guess I was right."


	4. Stalker

Chapter 3- Stalker

            Bulma absolutely hated to PE uniforms. They were black shorts with two red stripes and a white one in the middle on each side, and a red shirt with "Union High Knights" and a picture of a dude on a horse. 

            Red and black weren't really her colors. 

            After dressing, she decided to walk around the gym and talk to people. 

            "Hi." This girl with short black hair about to her chin and gold streaks in it said. "You're from Carver aren't you?"

            Bulma nodded her head.

            "Well no wonder I don't know you. I'm Chloe from Kennedy."

            "I'm Bulma." Bulma introduced herself.

            "Hey are you trying out for Cheerleading?" Chloe asked.

            "Um. I haven't really thought about it. But I don't think I'm the Cheerleader type."

            "Oh. That's too bad. Well anyway, if you change your mind, go talk to Coach Lisa. I'll be seein ya." With that, she walked away.

            So far, the kids form Kennedy that Bulma were all weird. First there were the nerds in Computer Tech. Bulma figured that nerds were nerds, but they were still weird. Then there was Goku who had eaten twelve burgers and twelve large fries in five minutes at lunch. And now there was Chloe who's hair looked about like a lion's. All of them were nice, she decided, but they're still weird. She vaguely wondered if all the Kennedy kids were weird.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta finally attended his first class of the day, during fifth hour. He sat in the back of the class as far away from the teacher as possible. Of all his classes, French was his least favorite. And then they had put him in advanced French. Sure he did know bits and pieces of a couple languages. He worked at a bar for Christ's sake. There were always people in there hollering at each other in one language or another. When he was really bored, he tried to figure out what they were saying. He didn't know why, and he didn't even like doing it, but he had picked up a couple nice curse words so that he could curse at people and they wouldn't know what he was saying.

            But he wasn't very sociable. He didn't even like talking in English, so why learn another language. He just couldn't understand it. Why couldn't everyone just convert to one language so that people like him wouldn't have to learn another one?

            _People talk too much. He decided. __And all it does is get them in trouble. I don't get it. Why do these people teach us how to talk and then tell us not to. Stupid. They're all idiots. Especially girls. All they do is talk. Gossip, they call it. When are they going to learn that most gossip is lies anyway. And then the ones they're gossiping about get all mad and want to fight somebody, not that there's anything wrong with fighting, but they're doing it all for the wrong reason. If what the people say is a lie, don't worry about it, because it's not true. But if it is true, you only get upset if you're ashamed of it. And if you're ashamed of it, you shouldn't have done it in the first place.      _

            Vegeta was snapped out of his reasoning when he heard Mr. Kosaku's voice over the intercom. Madame Francois. I was just checking to make sure that Mr. Vegeta Ouji is in class.

            "Yes sir. He is." Madame Francois answered him.

            _Oh I know he just didn't. Vegeta thought sardonically. _Doesn't he have anything better to do than check up on me all the time?__

            Vegeta spent the rest of the hour thinking about how stupid people are.

            Finally, the bell rang and dismissed him from Madame Francois stating the rules in French. To say that he was relived was an understatement.

            His next, and final class was PE. PE was by far his favorite subject. Although he was talented in both mind and body, he much rathered exercising his body.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Hi Goku!" ChiChi said walking into the gym. She had just changed into her PE uniform. She didn't mind it as much as Bulma did.

            "Hey ChiChi!" Goku said, he was also wearing the PE uniform, although the boys' model. The shorts were a bit baggier, and the shirts didn't have sleeves. "Have you seen Vegeta yet?"

            ChiChi looked at him like he was stupid. "Goku, if I had, I wouldn't know it. I don't even know what he looks like."

            "Oh yeah!" Goku said with his hand behind his head. He looked around the Gym. "Well he's not here yet. But he's coming."

            Goku and ChiChi talked for a few minutes, until Goku spotted a guy talking, or arguing, with the coach. "Hey Vegeta!" He yelled happily. He grabbed ChiChi's hand and started pulling her to make her follow. "Come on. I'll introduce you."

            ChiChi looked the guy over. He was a bit shorter than Goku, was slender but had a muscular build that was just perfect for his size. His skin was a dark olive color, and was very smooth. He had wild hair but not like Goku's. His hair was in a flame shape and was a dark raven color. His face was one of the most stunning that she had ever seen. He had a strong jaw, and a sharp nose. Perhaps the most stunning thing about him was his eyes. They were a dark obsidian color and looked as though you could get lost in them. In ChiChi's opinion, he was drop dead gorgeous.

            Vegeta hadn't acknowledged that Goku called him. He'd heard it, but he was too busy ranting to the coach to answer.

            Goku caught some of Vegeta's 'conversation' as he walked up.

            "...I have to make higher than a 'B', I can't be tardy, I can't get wrote up..."

            "Written up." The coach corrected.

            "What?" Vegeta said clearly confused.

            "You said 'wrote up'. The correct way to say it is 'written up'.

            "What does that have to do with anything!? Come on coach. Get serious. These people are just begging for me to mess up. You can do something about it right? Tell me you can do something about it

            "I'm sorry, but I have talked to Mr. Kozaku, and that was the agreement we came to."

            "You were in on it too?"

            "Vegeta, just because you are a very talented athlete, isn't an excuse for bad behavior."

            "Bad behavior! You see me yelling right now? This is because of **you!"**

            "Calm down Vegeta." He paused and waited until Vegeta had composed himself somewhat. "Now, every athlete is supposed to have good behavior, and you are no exception. As for the grades, that's out of my hands, Union didn't decide that, Northern did." With that, he walked away.

            "Bitch." Vegeta mumbled turning around to come face to face with Goku. "How long have you been there?" He asked having forgotten all about Goku during his argument.

            Goku didn't answer his question. Instead, he asked one of his own. "What was that all about?"

            "It's none of your business!" Vegeta all but shouted at Goku's nosiness.

            "Are you in trouble?" Goku asked ignoring Vegeta's yelling.

            "No." Vegeta said sticking his nose in the air.

            "That was about your scholarship wasn't it?"

            Vegeta didn't answer. He just glared at Goku in a way that told him to shut up.

            Goku didn't catch the hint and kept on babbling. Vegeta wanted desperately to change the subject.

            "Is she with you?" Vegeta asked spotting ChiChi. 

            This successfully stopped Goku's rambling. Blushing a little, he asked. "Um...Do you mean 'with me' with me, or just with me."

            Vegeta and just stood there for a second trying to figure out what Goku had just said. "Uh... I think the second one." He finally said.

            "Oh!" Goku said excitedly. "Vegeta, this is ChiChi. ChiChi, Vegeta."

            "Uh. Hey." Vegeta greeted, kind of just because he didn't have anything better to do.

            "H...Hi." ChiChi stuttered a bit nervous to be talking to him. _The other girls were right! He's gorgeous! She thought zoning out for a few seconds._

            When ChiChi zoned back in, Goku was asking Vegeta what the principal wanted.

            "You are so nosy, Goku!" Vegeta said.

            "Aww. Come on 'Geta, you can tell me."

            "That is not my name so don't call me that."

            "Please."

            "Didn't you just hear?"

            "You mean what you and Coach were talking about? That was it?"

            "More or less." Vegeta answered trying to think of another way to change the subject. He ignored Goku and turned to ChiCh. "Carver?" He asked simply, figuring she would get his meaning.

            "Uh-huh." She confirmed. "How'd you know?"

            "You didn't know who I was. Everyone from Kennedy knew me." He stated simply, and then looked over his shoulder. "I think the coaches are calling us." He grabbed Goku's arm and started leading him outside "Come on, Goku."

               Their PE class was split up. The football players would go onto the field, and all the non-football players and girls would have the track.

            Right after they got outside, Vegeta got in an argument with another coach.

            "Why aren't you wearing the right uniform?" The coach asked.

            "What's wrong with this?" Vegeta defended himself.

            "It's not the regulation uniform. Boys are supposed to wear the red muscle shirt and the black **shorts**." The coach said stressing the word 'shorts'.

            Vegeta was wearing the right shirt, but was wearing black baggy pants with the red and white stripes down the side. "You mean my pants. I like my pants. Why can't I wear them."

            "Because you are supposed to wear shorts."

            "I don't want to wear shorts."

            By this time, everyone on the field had stopped what they were doing and were staring at Vegeta and the coach..

            "You have to wear them!"

            "You know what? I'm going ask Mr. Kozaku." He stated and before anyone could protest, he walked off the field. 

            The coach sighed. "This is going to be a long year." He mumbled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta didn't even bother asking the secretary to enter the principal's office, he just walked in. That earned a couple stares.

            "Well hello Vegeta, what brings you barging into my office at this time of day." Mr. Kozaku greeted him.

            "Me and Coach Harley had a little disagreement about whether I could wear this or not." He said indicating his pants.

            "Well." Mr. Kozaku said taking a good look at them. "They are the right color. And they do have the stripes on the sides. So as long as they are worn properly I don't see why not."

            "Thank you." Vegeta said smugly. "Now if you would please be so kind as to tell that to coach..."

            Mr. Kozaku was already writing a note to the coaches to excuse the pants. "You know it is a good thing that you came here. That reminded me to tell everyone about our uniforms."

            "What uniforms?" Vegeta asked.

            "Well we want our school to look nice and so we are requiring everyone to wear uniforms. Some of the kids were told already and so are wearing theirs today. Just as a reminder, you will be required to wear it after September 30th. That gives you what?... Two weeks to get one. It should be enough time."

            "Why do we need uniforms?" Vegeta asked irked at the idea.

            "Like I said, we want our school to look nice." He handed the note to Vegeta. "Now I expect you to be in back in class for the rest of the day."

            Vegeta just hmphed and headed back to the football field.

  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            After Vegeta had smugly handed Coach Harley the note, he put on his football pads and joined the other football players on the field.

            Needless to say, most of the girls weren't running track. They were just standing around watching the football players.

            ChiChi had met up with three girls that she knew from Carver and was talking to them. 

            After a while everyone, except for the football players, changed back into their clothes. The football players had to practice after school.

            As promised, and much to the dismay of many students, Mr. Kozaku mad the announcement about the uniforms.

            Finally, school was dismissed and all of the kids, except for the football players, filed out of school.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            After the parking lot was mostly empty, one man sat in his car. He was definitely not one of the students, but no one had noticed him. 

            Making sure that no one was around, he got out of his car. He knew exactly where he was going, to the football field.

            He walked slowly with his head down and his jacket hood covering his face in shadow.

            If anyone had seen his face they would have said he was crazy. But he wasn't crazy. Mad yes. But not crazy.

            He had decided a long time ago that the person who had done this to him would pay for it. And would they pay.

            He finally reached the football field, but stayed in the shadow under the bleachers. He could not be seen. That would be his downfall...again. That was what had happened last time. He had been seen. Not only that, but he had left the witness alive. Yes, he had thought the boy was dead, but somehow, he had survived. He had survived and become proof of the deed that he had done.

            But this time, he wouldn't survive. He'd make sure of that.

            _Yes Vegeta. Enjoy your time now. Play your little games. All games come to an end, and your end is soon._


	5. Work Hours

Chapter 4- Work Hours

            "Oh! My! Gawd! Bulma! You should've seen him!" ChiChi exclaimed while sitting on the passenger side of Bulma's car. "He was drop dead gorgeous!"

            "Really. Gawd I wanna meet him!" Bulma, who was driving said. "Well come on girl! What's he like?"

            "Well. He's a few inches shorter than Goku, has black hair that sticks straight up like a flame, and his eyes are ebony black. He's muscular too."

            "What's he act like? Is he obnoxious?"

            "Well I was zoned out half the time, but he seemed...I don't really know. His personality is kinda hard to describe. It's like he doesn't like to talk, especially about himself, but will argue with people with the drop of a hat...He actually talked to me... Oh and he is an awesome football player. He and Goku were talking and he they said that he got a scholarship to play at Northern."

            "Northern!" Bulma exclaimed. "I'm a genius and I had trouble getting into northern. And he got a scholarship! How smart is he?"

            "I don't know. He might've just gotten in because of football. I didn't really ask. But I've seen him play and he's awesome. No doubt he's the best one out there. Hey I'm hungry. Why don't you stop somewhere."

            "Alright." Bulma said turning her car into a drive through. Now more than ever, she wanted to meet this Vegeta guy. If for nothing more than curiosity. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

            If anyone had looked under the bleachers, they would have seen a person standing there staring murderously at their star football player.

            Lucky for him, no one did.

            He stood there for the entire practice staring at the one person he hated more than anything. The person who messed up everything. The one that made him what he was today. It was all _his_ fault. He had ruined everything. And by god, he would pay.

            As he stood there staring, he thought of ways to get revenge. He would not kill him right off. No, he would make Vegeta suffer as _he had suffered. Vegeta would pay for every day of it._

            But every second that he watched Vegeta play, he realized more and more that it wasn't going to be easy to kill him. He wouldn't be able to do it on his own. 

            He cursed himself for not making sure he was dead as a child. No... He didn't blame himself. He blamed Vegeta. It was his fault. All of it.

            He stood there watching for a few more minutes and then turned and left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Alright boys." Coach Foster said. "You can go. That's it for today."

            "What time is it?" Vegeta asked.

            A running back, named Josh looked at his watch. "Almost seven." He said.

            "Seven!" Vegeta stopped in his tracks. "I was supposed to be at work for five thirty!" Without another thought, he took off running. 

            When he got to the parking lot, he hopped on his bike and revved the engine, and sped off.

            His motorbike was on older model. It had been his father's. (Just so you know, his father is not King Vegeta. It's another dude.) And although he absolutely despised his father, he had kept the bike anyway. He couldn't afford to be picky, because he didn't have the money to buy a new one. Instead he fixed it up. Now it was all black with blue flames coming down the sides and on the front.

            His apartment was about fifteen minutes away from the school and walking distance away from his job. By all accounts speeding, he wove in and out of traffic, and managed to make it to his apartment in only five minutes.

            He pulled his bike into the parking lot and, because it was an older model and not a capsule vehicle, left it there. 

            Running, he reached his apartment, unlocked the door and ran straight to the shower. he didn't even bother to lock the door back. He didn't have the time. 

            He took a quick shower, dressed himself in baggy jeans, a black shirt, and his favorite leather jacket that he had gotten from an old friend. Sad to say, that same old friend, Zachary, was killed in a street brawl a few years earlier. This had been his apartment too. Vegeta had lived here with him. And even though he had only been fourteen when his friend had died, the landlord still let him stay as long as he could pay the rent.

            He ran out of his apartment only ten minutes after he had entered it and worked on putting his boots on as he ran, more like hopped, down the hall. 

            His apartment was eight stories up and the elevator was broken most of the time. Because of that, he had gotten used to going down the stairs.

            His job, at an all-night and very popular bar called Gee's, was three blocks over and on the opposite side of the third. Because of this, he cut through an alley and jumped a couple fences before finally making it to Gee's.

            "You're late." The owner, an Italian man called Garfield, but nicknamed Gee after his bar, said as Vegeta ran in through the back door.

            "Well I had football practice. And I think I'm going to have to change my hours...again." Vegeta said taking his jacket off and clipping on his ID badge.

            "Again." Gee said in exasperation. "I don't know why I put up with you."

            "Because I'm so wonderful and you couldn't imagine living without me?" Vegeta suggested. Besides Gee being his boss, he was also a good friend. Zachary had used to work for him and Vegeta would sometimes come with him just to hang out. Being that he grew up around Gee, he was more comfortable to joke with him than he would be most other people.

            "I guess so." Gee said grabbing two bottles of rum off the shelf and walking back into the actual bar room. "Otherwise I would have fired your ass long ago. And not only are you trouble for me, but if you get caught working here, I'll probably lose my bar. You aren't even old enough to be in a bar, much less work here. You see! I do all this for you, and this is the thanks I get? You are late for work. And then..."

            "Okay, Okay. Gee, you know guilt trips don't work on me. But just because I like you, I'll work late tonight to makeup for the time I missed. And then, we can talk about changing my hours." Vegeta said and then walked away to take up his place by the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The night had been a slow one. There had only been three fights during his 'watch'.  With two of them, all he had to do was break them up, and the men went back to drinking. But with the third, between two Chinese women, he had to toss them out. He knew they were fighting over a man. That much he had gathered from when they were yelling at each other. Then they had gotten up and started pulling on each other's hair and scratching at each other. Vegeta and the other man, who was nine years older then him and named Thomas, had broken them up. Then the two girls had gotten up started having at it again. 

            After the third time of breaking the girls up, they had tossed them out. One of the girls had scratched Vegeta's face in the process.

            The only good thing that had happened though was that he had gotten his hours changed. Since he worked eight-hour shifts, and now would get to work at eight PM, he would get home at four AM, instead of one like he used to.

            On Fridays, because that's when his football games were, he would work from midnight until eight in the morning. 

            He finally got home, undressed, and plopped into bed.       


	6. Disrupting Class

Chapter 5- Disrupting Class

            It was six thirty. 

            Vegeta groaned and rolled over trying his best to ignore the annoying man on his alarm clock. When this failed, he buried his head under the pillow. Finally, feeling that he might as well get up, he groped along his nightstand for the clock and turned it off.

            He pulled himself out of bed, and went to take a cold shower to wake himself up all the way. With this done, he got dressed, grabbed his wallet, and keys, locked the door, and headed for school.

            He arrived only three minutes before the bell rang. And having forgotten to eat, again, today like he had done yesterday, the first place he went was to the snack machine.

            When the bell rang, he went to search for his first hour class. "Mechanics..." He mumbled to himself as he read the numbers on the walls. All of the workshop type classes were in a separate building, so they weren't that hard to find. 

            He walked in just before the tardy bell rang, and took a seat next to one of the other football players that he knew.

            When everybody was there and accounted for, the teacher, Mr. Renn started recapping the rules. This was to be expected. Teachers always did that for the first week of school, and they always said the same thing.

            Since Vegeta had heard these same rules for twelve years straight, he figured that he didn't need to learn them again. Therefore, he leaned back in his chair and took a nap.

            He woke up to the sound of the bell.

            Looking at his schedule, he exited the class and headed for Advanced English.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bulma and ChiChi were sitting in the same seats that they were the day before. They were both staring at the doorway waiting for a certain someone to come in.

            The tardy bell rang, and there was still no sign of Vegeta. There were still people filing into the class though. Finally, Vegeta walked in followed by this girl who was latched onto his arm like a leech despite his attempts to politely shake her off.

            Bulma instantly knew that this was Vegeta.

            "That's him!" ChiChi whispered excitedly.

            The second Vegeta walked into the class, everyone went quiet. Everyone except the teacher, anyway.

            "You're late, Vegeta." Mr. Dilloir said pompously.

            _That's been happening a lot lately. Vegeta thought sardonically finally shaking the girl off his arm. "Yeah, but so are they." He said in defense pointing to three teachers' pets that had just walked in._

            "I don't care about them. I was talking about you." Mr. Dilloir said getting very angry for being bested.

            "Hey you can't just single me out like that!" Vegeta said also getting angry. "They were tardy just like I was."

            "Yes but they were not skipping class yesterday. Maybe I should call Mr. Kozaku and let him deal with you."

            At this Vegeta smirked. "Call him." He said crossing his arms.

            The class 'oohed' at his comment.

            "Well, maybe I will." Mr. Dilloir said.

            "Go ahead then. Because I've already talked to him about it. So you'll have to think of some other way to get me in trouble. Mr. _Dilloir." He said putting a nasty emphasis on his name._

            "GO SIT DOWN!" Mr. Dilloir yelled at him not able to think of anything else to say.

            "Well that's what I was doing before you had interrupted me." He said and started walking towards the back where the girl who had come in with him was waving him over. 

            He took a seat in the back, right on the side of Bulma. 

            A girl on the other side of him, Stephanie, looked at him and did this over emotional "Oh my Gawd." She got up out of her chair, grabbed his chin, and started examining the three scratches on his cheek. He had gotten then from two girls fighting in the bar where he worked when he had broken them up.

            "What happened Veggie?" The girl in front of him, Tish, said over emotionally as well.

            Vegeta glared at her for calling him such a stupid nickname, but before he could say anything, another girl, Shea, butted in. 

            "He got that when he was with me last night."

            "Oh. Now you and I both know that he didn't. My baby wouldn't come in a ten feet radius of you." Tish said.

            "Aww. Is Gee workin' you too hard?" Stephanie asked sweetly.

            "All of ya'll can shut up." A boy named Alan, who was sitting in front of ChiChi, said. "'Cause number one, his name ain't 'Veggie', number two, **Tish, he ain't ya' baby, and number three, he wouldn't go with none of ya'll."**

            "Oh. Told ya'll." Another boy, Jeff, turned around. Both Alan and Jeff were football players too.

            Meanwhile, Vegeta was sitting with his hand covering his face trying to hide his laughter.

            "You in the back!" Mr. Dilloir yelled. "Mr. Vegeta. I hope that you aren't interrupting my class."

            "What?! I didn't say anything since I got back here."

            "Yup sho' ditn'" Alan said.

            "Played." Jeff tuned in.

            "Well keep it that way." Mr. Dilloir fussed. "Now if you will all pay attention, I will now go over the rules again, since some of us weren't here yesterday to hear them."

            While Mr. Dilloir started going over the rules, Vegeta decided, once again, to take a nap.

            "...Always come to class on time, always turn in work on time..." Mr. Dilloir was saying as he looked over the class. He spotted Vegeta sleeping in the back, grabbed a textbook, and started walking down the isle with it. All the while he kept talking. "...no eating, no talking, and..." He slammed the book down on Vegeta's desk effectively waking him up and the twelve other kids that had happened to be sleeping. "NO SLEEPING!" He yelled in his face.

            Vegeta had looked surprised for only a second, but then yawned and crossed his arms back over his chest.

            "Mr. Ouji." Mr. Dilloir began, "Events have led me to believe that you were sleeping in my class."

            "Well. That all depends on the eyes of the beholder. Some people might think that your lesson was so interesting that I had to close my eyes and visualize it." Vegeta stated earning a muffled giggle from the entire class.

            "And others might think you were sleeping." Mr. Dilloir said trying his hardest to best Vegeta.

            "While that might be true." Vegeta stated. "You could not do me anything even if I was."

            "And why is that?" Mr. Dilloir asked sarcastically.

            "Because you stated the rule after you woke me up." Vegeta said smugly. Mr. Dilloir's face fell. "Therefore," Vegeta continued. "Since I was not aware of this rule, it did not apply."

            The entire class started laughing, which got Mr. Dilloir pissed even more.

            "OUT!" He yelled. Pointing to the door. "GET OUT OF MY CLASSROOM!."

            "Hey you can't kick me out of class just because you feel drove."(and for those who don't know that means 'stupid'.) Vegeta said.

            "Yes I can! Now get OUT!"

            Vegeta stood up out of his chair without saying anything. He was a good five inches taller than the scrawny Mr. Dilloir. Still silent, he started making his way toward the door.

            Mr. Dilloir put a very smug look on his as Vegeta stopped at the door. He expected Vegeta to turn around and beg to stay in class. That's not what happened however. Instead, without moving anything but his arm, he pressed the intercom button.

            Yes? The secretary's voice came over the intercom.

            "Let me talk to Kozaku." Vegeta ordered the woman.

            But... She started but Vegeta cut her off.

            "He ain't busy! Let me talk to him!"

            There was a brief pause before Mr. Kozaku's voice was heard. Vegeta I presume? He said, pretty much knowing who it was already.

            "Yes." Vegeta said sort of business-like.

            What are you doing?

            All of Vegeta's anger that he had recently suppressed came right back at the question. "Oh!" He yelled. "So any time I'm talking to one of you people, I automatically _did _something?!"

            Let me rephrase that...To what do I owe the pleasure of you interrupting me?

            "Well that's not much better. But since you said it so nicely..."

            Mr. Dilloir who had been standing in the back of class fuming, finally spoke up. "This hooligan was disrupting my class!"

            "Hey there ain't no need for name callin'" Jeff yelled.

            I agree. Mr. Vegeta, why don't you come to my office.

            Mr. Dilloir found his smug face once again and put it back on.

            You too Dilloir.

            Vegeta turned to Mr. Dilloir and smirked when he said that. He then stalked out of the room with Dilloir sputtering behind him.


	7. Meet Vegeta

Chapter 7- Meet Vegeta

            Bulma had learned that Vegeta was in her Trigonometry class too. He had come in late after talking with Mr. Kozaku, and judging by his smug look, she could tell that he had won the argument.

            Later, during lunch, since Bulma hadn't been properly introduced, or introduced at all, to Vegeta, she got Goku to take her to meet him. Everyone else decided to go too, except for Krillin. It was his turn to get lunch.

            Goku led them to the football field and then up onto the bleachers.

            "Where are we going, Goku?" ChiChi asked, 'I don't see anyone up here."

            "He's up here." Goku said steadily walking up to the top. He kept walking until he got to the announcer's box.

            "He's in there?" Yamcha asked.

            "No." Goku said.

            "Then where is he?" Bulma asked getting frustrated.

            "Just wait." Goku said. "And back up a step, ChiChi."

            ChiChi did as she was told.

            "HEY VEGETA!" Goku yelled.

            "Hm." Came a sleepy reply form seemingly out of nowhere.

            "Get down here I want you to meet some people."

            "Tell them to come up here." Vegeta halfway yawned out.

            Goku knew that was coming and so was prepared. "Vegeta, I'm not leaving until you come down."

            Almost immediately a pair of feet swung them selves over the roof of the announcer's box right where ChiChi's head had been.

            "Do I have to come all the way down or will this do?" The person attached to the feet, which happened to be Vegeta, said.

            "That'll do, Vegeta." Goku said and started his introductions. "Well you already know ChiChi, and this is Yamcha, Bulma, and Juuanchi. Guys, this is Vegeta."

            "Hey." Vegeta said.

            "Hi." Everyone else said shyly.

            "Oh and Vegeta. You look terrible. You really need to sleep." Goku said sincerely.

            'That was what I had been doing." Vegeta said flopping backwards onto the roof like someone would do on a bed. He left his feet hanging over the edge.

            "But seriously." Goku said hoisting himself up and standing on the door handle. "What time did you go to bed last night?"

            Vegeta mumbled something. But no one but Goku heard it. The gang didn't have to be curious for long though, because Goku yelled out. "Four! Gosh Vegeta. No wonder you're so tired. Why on earth did you stay up that late anyway?"

            Again, Vegeta mumbled something.

            "So Gee wouldn't let you off huh?"

            Another mumble, but everyone understood it to be "No".

            "Well don't fall asleep in class, Vegeta." Goku said hopping down from the doorknob.

            Bulma and ChiChi started giggling. 

            Vegeta and Goku both heard them. Vegeta decided to ignore them. Goku was about to ask what they were laughing at when he noticed Vegeta's face. 

            "Hey Vegeta." Goku said "What happened to your face?"

            "Oh." Vegeta mumble a bit more clearly than last time. He reflexively put his hand on the three scratches on his cheek. "Uh. Some chick scratched me, that's all."

            "They had girls fighting last night? Man I wish I had your job." Goku said enviously.

            Vegeta just hmphed.

            "Where do you work?" Yamcha asked.

            "Gee's." Vegeta answered simply.

            "Isn't that a bar?" Juuanchi asked skeptically.

            "Yeah." Vegeta answered. "and yes I'm 17 so don't ask."

            Just then Bulma's phone rang. "Hello." she answered. "Oh. Alright. We're coming." She giggled hanging up the phone. "Guys Krillin's got our food and he's lookin' for us."

            "Oh great I'm starved." Goku said and started running down the steps, completely forgetting about Vegeta.

            "You wanna come with us?" ChiChi invited Vegeta.

            "No thanks." Vegeta answered staying in his sprawled out position on the roof.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The rest of the day went pretty smoothly for Vegeta. There were only a few minor arguments with teachers. He, for the most part, stayed awake in class. Even at Gee's, he had been on time after practice and had not had any wild women scratching all over him.

            But as it is said, 'all good things must come to an end.' And even though things might not be ending that very minute, they still were going to.

            Someone would make sure of that. For Vegeta anyway.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            A lone figure sat in a dark apartment. The only light was coming from the laptop computer. There was no light coming from the windows. They had been boarded up years ago. 

            Thirteen years ago to be exact.. That was when it had all started. That was when the boy called Vegeta ruined his life.

            But Vegeta would pay. There was no doubt about it.

            _No one does this to me and gets away with it._

            He turned back to his computer and read the message.

We agree to your deal. The price is sufficient. Just tell us where and when.

                                                                                                -Shadow & Locke

            He then typed his own message in reply.


	8. Face in the Crowd

Chapter 7- Face in the Crowd

            "The guy is doing it on purpose I swear." Vegeta said to Goku. Once again, they were sitting on top of the bleachers.

            Mr. Dilloir had given the class a 10,000 word report due Monday on 'the importance of respecting your elders'. 

            It was Friday now and the first football game was that night.

            Vegeta was literally worn out. He had slept only two and a half hours a night for the past week and barely eaten anything. Anyone within thirty feet of him could see the dark rings under his eyes.

            "How the hell am I supposed to write a 10,000 word report on anything in two days, much less 'the importance of respecting you elders'?!"

            "Maybe you could ask Gee for a day off." Goku suggested.

            "No." Vegeta said trying to stifle a yawn. "I just asked him to change my hours a few days ago. I don't want to keep asking for stuff."

            "Oh." Goku said. "Well I can't help you there."

            "Obviously."

            "Hey! Why don't we go down and talk to ChiChi and all."

            "What does that have to do with anything I just said?" Vegeta asked.

            "Huh?...Well nothing really, but talking to ChiChi always cheers me up." Goku said happily.

            Vegeta just sweatdropped. "No thanks." he said he said, this time not able to stifle the yawn. "I'll just sit up here 'till the bell rings."

            "Suit yourself." Goku said getting to his feet and walking down the steps.

            After Goku was gone, Vegeta decided to take a little nap. But just before he closed his eyes, he spotted some movement on the other side of the field. Vegeta did a double take but he couldn't find what he had seen before. It had looked like a person.

            _I'm getting delirious. Vegeta decided._

            It was strange, though. Since Monday, he had felt like someone was watching him. Most of the time, people_ were,_ like girls and teachers and stuff. But even when he was alone on the bleachers, he felt someone's eyes on him. He decided that he was getting paranoid too.

            With that settled, he drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The same man that had been at the football field every day for the past week cursed out loud as he pulled his 'partner' Locke back behind the bleachers. He had come to this same spot and watched Vegeta every day and not once had he been seen.

            "Be careful!" He whispered crudely.

            "Do you think he saw us, Rehtaf?" Shadow whispered eying his lifelong friend Locke balefully.

            "No." The shadowy man, now dubbed Rehtaf said peeking his head around the bleachers to see his target now sleeping. Rehtaf, of course, was not his real name. It was just code. 

            Rehtaf had seen that the job of capturing, torturing, and killing Vegeta was a bit out of his hands, so he had hired two supposedly experienced gunmen. Shadow was proving to be pretty talented in the job, but Locke, although he was said to be a good shot, had a bit of trouble with common sense.

            "So that's our target? A kid?" Shadow asked skeptically.

            "Is there a problem with that?" Rehtaf asked heatedly for being questioned. "You said you'd kill anybody right?"

            "Well yeah, but what could a kid like that have possibly done to you?"

            "That's for me to know! Not you! You're just supposed to help me kill him. Understand?" Rehtaf said trying not to yell, but not very successfully.

            "Yes sir." Shadow said. "We understand."

            "Good."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta woke up to what he thought was a person's voice yelling. 

            _I must be more delirious than I thought. He mused, and decided to start heading in._

            Giving one last glance to where he thought he had seen a person by the bleachers, he took off towards the main building.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            It was now Five-forty, and Bulma was rushing to get ready for the game. 

            ChiChi, Juuanchi, Yamcha, and Krillin were all waiting downstairs for her to come. Meanwhile, Mrs. Briefs was giving them all some tea and cakes.

            "Okay! I'm ready!" Bulma yelled running down the stairs.

            "Finally." Juuanchi mumbled.

            "Who's driving?" Krillin asked.

            "I am." Yamcha answered.

            They all walked out of Capsule Corp. and piled into Yamcha's car, all the while listening to Mrs. Briefs telling Bulma to have fun and be back by ten.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            'Come on! We're going to miss the kick off." Yamcha yelled from the ticket line.

            Finally they got into the game, which had already started, and managed to find some seats. The entire stadium was packed.

            "What number is Goku?" Bulma yelled to CiChi over the roar of the crowd.

            "35." She answered just as loud. "Look there he is right there!" She pointed to someone, who Bulma assumed to be Goku, who was running in zigzags across the field. 

            Bulma tried to get comfortable, which wasn't easy because she was squashed between Yamcha and ChiChi. She didn't know a thing about football (and neither do I) and so just settled on trying to figure out whom, of the players, she knew.

            She was kind of puzzled that she didn't see Vegeta on the field. If he was supposed to be the best player, why wasn't he playing. 

            "Yamcha." She said nudging him. "What's going on? Why isn't Vegeta playing?"

            "Hm?" Yamcha said tearing his eyes away from the game for a few seconds to look at her. "We're playing defense right now. I think he plays offense."

            "What? Yamcha what are you talking about?"

            "Well offense is when _we_ have the ball and are trying to make a touchdown. Defense is when the other team has the ball. Get it?"

            "Oh. Yeah. So... the other team has the ball. Why don't we have it? We're playing at our school." Bulma stated.

            "Well...It doesn't work like that. They decide with a coin toss."

            "Oh." Bulma decided to shut up lest she make herself look more stupid. She was a genius, but she knew nothing about sports.

            After identifying everyone she knew, which wasn't many people so it didn't take long, she decided to just sit there and watch the little people run around the field.

            After running through the knowledge that she had just gotten from Yamcha, she concluded that neither team had made a touchdown and that the other team still had the ball. Bulma was proud of herself for figuring this out. She was starting to understand this whole football thing. 

            Union tackled the other team only fifteen yards before the touchdown and the coaches was getting nervous.

            Just when Bulma had stored the whole offense/defense thing into her brain the Union decided to make a substitution.

            Bulma was completely baffled when the announcer stated that Union was bringing number 21, Vegeta Ouji, into the game.

            "Wait." Bulma said turning back to Yamcha. "The other team still has the ball. I thought Vegeta played offense"

            "Well he can still play." Yamcha said not really sure how to explain it to her.

            "If he could play defense, then why didn't they put him in at the beginning?"

            "I don't know. It wasn't my decision." Yamcha said defensively.

            Bulma decided to turn back and watch the game since Yamcha wasn't giving her any information. She was confused once again.

            She watched as a guy on the other team passed the ball through his legs to a second guy. Then the second guy backed up a couple steps and threw the ball to a third guy that was waiting in the touchdown zone.

            Right before the ball reached the third person, a guy in red caught it and started running toward the opposite side of the field.

            The crowd went wild as the announcer screamed INTERCEPTION BY NUMBER 21, VEGETA OUJI!!!

            "What just happened?" Bulma yelled to Yamcha.

            "We have the ball now and we're running it." Yamcha answered without taking his eyes off the game.

            "Is that good?" Bulma asked.

            "YES!" Yamcha yelled but it wasn't in answer to her question.

            Then the announcer yelled. TOUCHDOWN FOR UNION!!!! 

            If possible, the crowd's yells had gotten even louder.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta was standing in the touchdown zone with all his teammates patting him on the back and stuff.

            Just for the fun of it, he decided to look at the other team's crowd. His eyes scanned all of the pissed off people's faces until they rested on one person. He was sitting in the second row, smirking at him. 

            Even though, he was kind of far away Vegeta could tell who it was. He'd never forget that face, especially the smirk.

            A look of shock, anger, and most of all fear spread across Vegeta's face. 

            _Could it be...?_

Goku saw the look on Vegeta's face. "What's wrong?" he asked.

            Vegeta snapped out of his stare at hearing Goku's voice. He looked at Goku and then back towards the man. To his surprise, he wasn't there anymore. Just an empty space where he had been sitting.

            Vegeta shook his head trying to rid himself of the image and all the memories that it had caused to resurface.

            "Nothing." He said quietly, and walked away.


	9. Better and Better

Chapter 8- Better and Better

            The football game had ended around nine, and since Vegeta didn't have to go to work until twelve, he had a couple free hours.

            Vegeta would've gone home to either start on his report or sleep, but somehow Goku had persuaded him to go to a victory party.

            He had only stayed at the party for two hours. After that, he'd gone home, showered, got something to eat, and went to work.

            With weekends being the busiest nights of the week, there were quite a few people to bounce. 

            By the time his shift was over, he was basically asleep on his feet. The walk home seemed like it took forever.

            When he finally got home, he kicked off his shoes, got slowly undressed, and fell into bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The one know as Rehtaf was pretty damn happy.

            Not only was he able to freak Vegeta out, but he now had the perfect plan of how to kill him.

            After Vegeta had saw him, he had left the stadium and waited in his car in the parking lot for the game to end. When that happened, he had followed Vegeta to some kind of party. He had hated to see the boy having so much fun while he was so tormented. He wanted more than anything to slit his throat right then and there.

            But he couldn't. That would go against his plan. And what a great plan it was. 

            After only a little while, he watched as Vegeta left the party. He followed him to what he figured was his apartment, and then to a bar called Gee's.

            He noticed that Vegeta seemed to be very tired, by the way he dragged his feet when he walked. That, would make him even easier to kill. He was basically not aware of anything, even the man that had followed him around all night. His movements were slow, so it would be hard for him to defend himself, too.

            Things were getting better and better.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta woke up, for once without the annoying alarm clock, around noon. He figured that now was the best time as ever to do that stupid report, and so got to work.  

            He hadn't even bothered to shower or even out on some clothes besides the boxers that he slept in.

            Normally, he wouldn't have cared how quality the report was, but now, since his scholarship was riding on his grades, he figured it would be best to put in some effort.

            Vegeta sometimes thought how funny fate could be.

            This was one of those times.

            At age four, his mother had 'died' from circumstances he did not like to think about, and his father was nowhere to be seen, thank Dende for that. He was taken in by a foster family shortly after. Then, about a half a year later, the foster family divorced. Since neither of the people were actually his parents, neither could have custody.

            Because of this, Vegeta was forced into an orphanage. He didn't stay in there for long. Only after a few weeks in the orphanage, he met Zachary. Zachary had instantly taken a liking to the kid and had come in claiming to be his uncle and then unofficially adopted him.

            He lived with him for about nine years up until Zachary was killed. None the less, he was still allowed to live in the apartment under the condition that he paid the rent. I order to pay the aforementioned rent he took a job at Gee's. Since he had already known Gee from when Zachary had worked there, he had gotten a job despite only being fourteen.

            He had worked there from then on and went to school at Kennedy High. One of his PE coaches had spotted his talent for football and asked him to try out. Vegeta thought that it would be interesting to try, despite his lack of time, and had done so. Well of course he made the team. He played so well that in the 11th grade (the year before) he had gotten a scholarship to play at Northern. Northern was one of the top ten universities in the world. Now, he was 'bustin his butt' as they say just to keep that scholarship.

            Vegeta, because of his harsh upbringing, was pretty much a loner. He didn't really like people, nor did he trust them. There were only a few people that he trusted now: Gee, Thomas, Chuckie, and Sid, all of whom worked at Gee's, Goku, and his newest addition, Mr. Kozaku.

            Vegeta didn't know why he seemed to trust Mr. Kozaku after only knowing him for a week. He guessed it was because he was one of the only people who didn't like him just for his looks or for being star football player. No Mr. Kozaku was different. Instead of not really caring about what happened to him as a person, and only thinking he was a popularity object like most other people, or constantly degrading him like Mr. Dilloir, Mr. Kozaku actually seemed to care.

            _That or he's a good actor. Vegeta thought with a hmph and started to type his report. _

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            In an old run-down house at the edges of West City, Rehtaf was lecturing Locke and Shadow.

            "For the past few days, he's been going to a bar called Gee's. I haven't gone in to actually see what he does in there. He would recognize me. That is why you two will go. But remember: don't do anything to him. Just watch him and don't make it obvious.

            "Remember what he does and then report back to me. I want to know everything. If he drinks, tell me what it is he's drinking and how much. If he fucks somebody I want to know who and how long. You got it?"

            "Got it." Shadow confirmed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            After six and a half hours, Vegeta finally finished his report.

            Of course when trying to think of any time when he had listened to an adult or respected them, he had come up with nothing. He couldn't write about Gee or anyone else that worked at Gee's because, well they worked at a bar. And while he could find nothing wrong with that, Mr. Dilloir surely would. He couldn't write about Mr. Kozaku either because he had just met the guy. He _had, of course, respected his mother. But she had died so long ago, he couldn't remember her or anything about her. Therefore, he dug back into his memory and recalled some lectures that teachers and such had given him throughout the years._

            In his opinion it was a big load of bullshit. 

            He wrote it anyway, though, and then checked it for spelling, grammar and such. 

            He was actually surprised that he had been lectured that many times. He wasn't a bad kid...was he? No. He was just honest. 

            'People don't like honesty when it shows their faults.' He had learned that a long time ago.

            What had surprised him even more was that he had more than 10,000 words in his report and they were all from those lectures. He had just typed the words that his memory produced.

            Saving the report and then printing it, he turned to look at the clock. Already six thirty. Being that he had to be at work for eight, he figured he could sleep for an hour and still be on time.

            Setting his alarm clock, he flopped back into bed.


	10. Bar Fight

Chapter 9- Bar Fight

            Vegeta had woken up when he'd planned to, had gotten dressed and went to work.

            When he got there, he noticed that everything was like it usually is. There were a few people that he hadn't seen before, but that was customary. He quickly put his ID on and took up his spot by the door. 

            A few times he had felt like he was being watched, just like he had felt at school, but every time he looked up, no one was looking at him. Only once had he caught the eye of Chuckie. Chuckie was Gee's wife, and a bartender. Her real name was Charlene. She was probably the only woman who worked at Gee's. She was in her forties just like Gee, but still had a nice figure. She had long, black, wavy hair and a pretty face. Chuckie had been like a second mom to Vegeta at times.

            They'd only caught each other's gaze once. And after that when he was positive that she wasn't looking at him he still had the feeling.

            He tried to ignore it for a while, but it wasn't working. 

            When a fight broke out and he went to break it up, he felt it more than ever. It was starting to get on his nerves. 

He got back to his usual spot after he'd broken the fight up. The feeling was still there. He looked around, but everyone was going about their business. 

He dropped his head and stared at the floor for a while trying to rid himself of the feeling. It wasn't working, and so he popped it back up. Just when he did that, he saw two men that had clearly been staring in his direction quickly turn back to their drinks. 

            He glared at the two men for a while but neither of them appeared to notice.

            He decided that he was getting paranoid again.

            "Are you okay?" Thomas asked him from the other side of the doorway.

            Vegeta looked at him bewildered. "Yeah. Why?"

            "You've been acting weird lately. Chuckie's noticed too." He informed him.

            "No I haven't." Vegeta protested.

            Thomas sighed. He, like many others, knew that it was damn near impossible to win an argument with Vegeta. "Sure. Whatever you say." He said.

            Vegeta gave one last glance to Thomas and then turned back to scanning the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Well?" Rehtaf said impatiently to his two 'partners' who had just gotten back.

            "He's a bouncer, Rehtaf." Shadow said.

            "Bouncer?" Rehtaf asked skeptically.

            "Yeah. You know. The people who break up fights and toss people out." Locke informed him thinking he didn't already know.

            "Yes! I know what a bouncer is!" Rehtaf yelled making both Shadow and Locke take a reflexive step backward.

            "Okay." Shadow said glaring, once again, at Locke. "So...?"

            Shadow and Locke listened intently as Rehtaf laid out his plan. 

            "...And remember. Do. Not. Kill. Him. Not yet." He concluded.

            The others just nodded their heads, smirking.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "So what are we going to see?" Goku asked ChiChi.

            Goku, ChiChi, Yamcha, and Bulma were riding down the street heading towards the movie theater. It was Sunday and, and they were hoping to catch the two o'clock show.

            "We don't know, yet. We have to see what's playing." ChiChi answered.

            "Oh." Goku said.

            "Hey. Why don't you invite Vegeta to come?" Bulma suggested. "We have an hour to waste. We could still swing by and pick him up."

            "I guess we could. But I doubt he'd come. He's probably either sleeping or doing that report.": Goku told her.

            "Speaking of which, did you do yours, Bulma?" ChiChi asked.

            "Yeah. I did it yesterday." She said digging in her purse for her cell phone. Finding it, she handed it to Goku. "Here Goku call him."

            Goku dialed Vegeta's number although he didn't know what good it would do. 

            "Hey put it on speaker phone." ChiChi said pressing the speaker button.

            They all listened as the phone rang, rang, and kept ringing.

            "Are you sure he's there?" Bulma asked.

            "Yeah. He's home."

            After the eleventh ring, a very sleepy Vegeta finally answered. "Huh?" He yawned in greeting.

            "Mornin' sunshine!" Goku said cheerily. 

            "What time is it?" Vegeta mumbled more to himself than to Goku.

            "One in the afternoon." Goku answered him anyway.

            Vegeta groaned. "What do you want?" He asked.

            "Whatcha doin'?" Goku asked still cheerily, completely ignoring Vegeta's question.

            "Well I was sleeping, but I guess you knew that. Do you enjoy waking me up?" Vegeta said still quite groggily.

            Again Goku ignored Vegeta. "We were wondering if you wanted to come to a movie with us."

            "A movie? Which one?"

            "I don't know." Goku said as cheerily as ever.

            Vegeta growled. "Goku stop calling me!" he yelled and then hung up.

            "I guess he doesn't want to come." Goku stated the obvious to the car full of giggling people.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            After Vegeta had hung up on Goku, he had gone back to sleep only to wake up again at seven thirty. He was still tired but felt a lot more refreshed than he had for the last week.

            He did his usual routine of showering, and getting dressed. On the way out, he made a sandwich, and since he didn't have time to eat it there, he took it with him.

            He arrived at Gee's like he usually did, put his ID on and took up watch by the door.

            After scanning the room, he was a vaguely surprised to notice the same two men from the night before. He also noticed that they had a bottle of rum but that it wasn't opened.

            He didn't spend too much thought on it because a fight had broken out. He and Thomas had gone and broken it up and then went back to stand by the door.

            For a while, nothing else happened. Then as if from nowhere one of the men at the table threw his chair at the other man. It missed, but the other man looked pissed.

            Vegeta and Thomas, thinking that this was just another fight went to take care of it. By then, the second man had grabbed the bottle off the table and was trying to hit the man who had thrown the chair with it. Thomas, who was a good bit bigger than Vegeta grabbed the man with the bottle and was trying to keep him still.

            Meanwhile, Vegeta grabbed the man that had thrown the chair and put him in a strangle hold. 

            By then, the entire bar was watching. They seemed to know that this was not just an ordinary bar fight. A few of the men had even gotten up to help.

            Then, the man that Thomas had been holding managed to break free.

            Thomas tried to grab him again, but he was too fast. The man being able to break free from Thomas stunned Vegeta. No one ever got loose from Thomas's grip, except for himself that is. The man that Thomas had been holding brought the bottle up to hit the man that Vegeta was holding with it.

            But since Vegeta was so stunned by Thomas's man breaking free, his grip loosened too, or so he supposed. At the last minute, the man slipped out of his grip and got out of the bottle's way.

            Vegeta didn't have time to move, he hadn't seen the man swinging the bottle because the other man had been in the way. He brought his hands up in a vain attempt to block it, but he was already too late. The bottle shattered against his skull, and since it was full, the impact was much harder than an empty bottle would have been. 

            Everyone in the bar stood silent in shock as Vegeta fell to the floor unconscious.       


	11. Perfect

Chapter 10- Perfect

            Everyone in the bar stood silent in shock as Vegeta fell to the floor unconscious.

            Even the two men who had been fighting were silent. 

            After a few seconds, people started gathering their senses again. Men in the bar, most of which had known Vegeta for a while, grabbed the two men and started dragging them roughly toward the exit.

            Chuckie, Gee, Thomas, and a few other people had gathered around Vegeta to see if he was alright. He wasn't waking up and he was having muscle spasms. His whole body was shaking violently. There was a growing pool of blood coming from his head.

            "Somebody call an ambulance!" A person yelled.

            "NO!" Gee ordered. 

            Everyone but Thomas and Chuckie looked at him confused.

            "Take him home, Chuckie." Gee said not bothering to explain why he wouldn't call the hospital.

            "I'll help." A man who had been a regular for years spoke up. "My car's out front."

            "Alright." Chuckie said as Thomas picked Vegeta up.

            The man led the way to his car. Chuckie got in the back seat and Thomas laid Vegeta across it with his head on her lap.

            "You're not coming?" Chuckie asked Thomas.

            "No ma'am." He answered simply.

            Chuckie nodded her head saying she understood and signaled for the man to drive.

            Luckily for them, that was one of the days that the elevator was working and the man didn't have to carry Vegeta up eight flights of stairs. While in the elevator, Chuckie had dug in Vegeta's pockets and had quickly found his keys.

            She let herself into his apartment with the man following and showed him Vegeta's bedroom.

            After the man had settled him, he asked Chuckie if she needed his help with anything else.

            She politely told him no, and so the man left.

            After he'd left and she'd locked the door, she went to tend to Vegeta.

            By now, his spasms had lessened considerably but he was still shaking a bit. The bleeding had lessened too. 

            She bent over him to examined his head. On the right side right above his eye was a huge gash about three inches long and what was the beginnings of a very large bruise. There was a cut on his cheek just below his eye and another on his collarbone. These two weren't as big, but they were still pretty deep. She figured they were probably from falling glass.

            She picked herself back up and started making her way to the bathroom. She found it quite funny at how messy the boy was. There was clothes, paper and other junk all over the floor to the point that she couldn't help but step on it.

            She figured that if Vegeta had a first aid kit it would be in the bathroom. After searching for about five minutes and coming up empty handed, she grabbed a towel, some band-aids, and some antiseptic, which she was thankful that he _did have, and made her way back to the bedroom. _

            After applying the antiseptic, she put the band-aids on the smaller cuts. The cut on his forehead was too big for a band-aid however, so she'd have to find something else.

            Seeing that he seemed to be fine and that it was only ten thirty, she left the apartment to head down to the all-night drugstore on the corner of the block.

            She went quickly and got all the stuff she needed, and got back to the apartment only fifteen minutes after she had left it.

            When she got back, she noticed that he was still out cold. She put some doo-hicks (cause neither she or I know what they're called) on to gash to hold it together and then wrapped it in gauze.

            With Vegeta all doctored up, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. Seeing that her doctoring was as good as ever, she decided to make him more comfortable. 

            Digging through his chest of drawers, she wondered how much clothes the boy had. She recognized most of the clothes from Zachary (Dende bless his soul) and figured that Vegeta had must kept his clothes as hand-me-downs. Vegeta didn't have a lot of money to spend and so hadn't bought many new clothes.

            Pulling out a pair of pajama pants, which looked as though they hadn't been used for a while, and a white T-shirt, she went to undress him.

            It was at times like this that she really wished she had had kids. 

            Finally having him dressed, she went to clean his apartment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            After having been kicked out of the bar, Shadow and Locke headed off to the old house where Rehtaf would be waiting.

            They were mildly surprised by how perfect their plan went. Even though they hadn't meant to actually smash the bottle of Rum, they _were supposed to hit the boy with it. Locke was a little bit sad that he hadn't gotten to drink any, but Rehtaf had told them that they had to be perfectly sober and alert while doing their 'task'. _

            They had hit him with a full, unopened bottle thinking that it would be harder to break and that they'd still have it to drink after but that didn't work out. They were even more surprised when the bottle _did shatter. That was why they had gotten quiet like everybody else. It was for the better that everyone at the bar thought they had been shocked because they knocked out the bouncer. That just made it all more perfect._

            No one suspected a thing.


	12. To Vegeta's House We Go

Chapter 11- To Vegeta's House We Go

            "Bulma." Goku said walking up to her. It was Monday and lunch. Goku had just gone to talk to Vegeta, but he wasn't on either the roof or the bleachers. "Have you seen Vegeta? Isn't he in one of your classes?"

            Bulma, who had been wondering where Vegeta was as well, made a show of thinking. "No. I don't think I saw him." She stated.

            In fact she hadn't. Not in either Mr. Dilloir's class or Trig. Mr. Dilloir had said that it was probably because he hadn't done his report. Bulma had thought the same thing.

            "I wonder where he is." Goku said. 

            "Why don't you call him?" ChiChi who had been standing beside Bulma the entire time suggested.

            "That's a good idea." Goku said pulling out his phone and dialing Vegeta's number. "Mine doesn't have speaker phone though.." He indicated his phone, which was a much older model than Bulma's.

            The phone rang about eight times before it was answered.

            "Huh." Said a very groggy and dazed Vegeta. A woman could be heard in the background, and immediately Goku got the wrong impression.

            "Vegeta!" Goku yelled. "What are you doing."

            "Who're you?" Vegeta answered in the same groggy tone.

            Goku ignored him. "Vegeta! I can't believe you're skipping school to..to." He trailed off remembering that there were ladies present.

            "Sop yelln'. 'M nohd skippn." Vegeta slurred his words. He was fighting to stay awake now. "I goh n escuse."

            "Then what is it." Goku asked, angry at his friend for being so irresponsible.

            "Ah dun no. Ags Chuhee." Vegeta said. 

            There was a pause and the same woman's voice that he's heard earlier told someone to 'go back to sleep' softly and then said into the phone. "Hello."

            Goku was totally clueless as to what was going on. He remembered the name Chuckie from somewhere but he couldn't remember where. Another thing was, Vegeta didn't sound like he was just tired, he kind of sounded like he was in pain. He decided not to jump to conclusions like he had done earlier and just answered back. "Hello? Are you Chuckie?"

            "Yes that's me." The woman, now recognized as Chuckie said, "Who are you?"

            "I'm Goku. Uh. Why are you at Vegeta's house?" Goku asked.

            "Because I'm watching him." Chuckie said.

            "Why?" Goku pressed.

            "Because there was a fight last night and he got hit over the head with a bottle and knocked out." She said calmly like it was a normal occurrence.

            "What!" Goku yelled frantic that his friend was hurt. "Oh my Gawd! Hang on! I'll be there in a few minutes!" With that, he hung up leaving Chuckie very confused as to why Goku was coming. What could he possibly do?

            Goku was already running towards his car with Bulma and ChiChi trying to keep up. Bulma and ChiChi were completely lost as to what was going on.

            For one reason or another, Goku felt it was his responsibility to go to Vegeta. He didn't know what he would do when he got there, but he was still going.

            Goku got to his truck and jumped in starting the engine. By this time, Bulma and ChiChi had managed to catch up.

            "Where are you going?" Bulma asked trying to catch her breath.

            "Vegeta's hurt!" Goku said shifting his truck into drive.

            "You can't just skip school Goku!" ChiChi yelled.

            "Sorry ChiChi. Vegeta's my friend." Goku said and got ready to pull out.

            "Wait!" Bulma yelled getting in the passenger's side of the truck. "I'm going too."  

            Goku didn't feel like arguing with her and so just sped off.

            Bulma, like Goku, felt an obligation to see about Vegeta. She didn't know why though.

            The ride was a silent one. Neither Goku nor Bulma attempted conversation. Both were lost in their own thoughts. 

            Bulma stared out the window at the area of town that she had rarely ever come to. Her father had always told her that this side of town was dangerous. Because of this, Bulma had always stayed in the up-town and ritzy areas of West City. 

For the most part of the ride Bulma wondered what was wrong with Vegeta. Goku had said he was hurt, but how hurt was he? 

            She couldn't really pinpoint why she cared so much. Was it possible that she cared about_ him_? Maybe. She had been really interested in him from the first time she saw him. He was just so mysterious. His ways were a total contradiction. It was like he would want to say something, but then he didn't. He would be good and bad at the same time. He seemed really intelligent but hated to think. Every kid in the school loved him, but he couldn't care less. 

            He confused her and she loved it.

            Bulma was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Goku pull into a parking lot until he killed the engine. She stepped out of the truck and looked at where she was. There was a pretty big apartment house. She quickly followed after Goku who was already walking toward it.

            After walking up eight flights of stairs and down the hall, they came to a doorway. Goku knocked on the door trying to hold back his worry. Not even a minute later, the door was answered by a woman who, to Bulma, looked to be in her late thirties. The first thing Bulma thought was that this was Vegeta's mom, but Goku knew better. He had taken one look at the woman and exclaimed. "Mrs. Charlene!"

            "Little Goku!" The woman said throwing her arms around him with as much enthusiasm, "And please call me Chuckie. Everyone else does." She released Goku and motioned him in. 

            Goku and Bulma both stepped into the apartment and Bulma took a good look around. All of the walls, that she could see were painted different shades of blue. The kitchen was painted sky blue and it faded into a darker blue in the living room. The floors were wooden, but there was a white shag rug in the living room. The place was pretty small, especially compared to Capsule Corp. But it had a cozy effect and was a good size for just one person.

            Bulma, once again, was snapped out of her thoughts.

            Goku was busy rambling about how he was '...sorry that he wasn't at school and that this was more important...'. 

            Chuckie was the one who had gotten her attention by saying, "And who is this. She your new girlfriend?" She nudged Goku playfully at the last part.

            "Huh?" Goku looked at Bulma as if it were the first time he had ever seen her. "Um no. This is Bulma." 

            "Hi." Bulma greeted. "I'm just a friend."

            Before Chuckie had time to say anything else, Goku interrupted. "Um...Chuckie. Can we go see Vegeta?"

            "Oh sure. He woke up just a few hours ago and has been passing in and out since then. I think he has a slight concussion." She said leading them into the bedroom in the back.

            "Gosh. How hard did he get hit?" Goku asked.

            "Well the bottle the men hit him with was full and unopened and it shattered when it hit him. I'm not very good at physics or whatever, so that's about all I can tell you." Chuckie answered.

            The room Chuckie led them into was fairly small only about 12 by 12. It too was painted blue although a very dark shade. It had a black shag rug on the floor, a computer, a closet, a chest-of-drawers, and a bed, which was currently occupied.

             Bulma blushed as she saw Vegeta. He was sprawled out on his back with one arm up on the pillow and the other hanging halfway off the side. That wasn't what she was blushing at though. His shirt was riding high leaving most of his stomach and abs showing and the covers were strewn about recklessly only covering one leg and half his hip. Lucky for Bulma, he had pants on, although they were sitting low on his hips. They were not low enough to see anything, but still enough to make girls blush.

            Chuckie saw Bulma blushing and fixed Vegeta's covers so that they were actually covering him. At this, Bulma whispered a thank you.

            She had been so transfixed on his body that she hadn't noticed his head. Obviously Goku had, because he was asking Chuckie to take the bandage off so he could see how bad it was.

            Chuckie had argued for a bit but then had complied.

            As she had picked up his head to unwrap the bandage, Vegeta had moaned and squinted his eyes tight like he was in pain. Chuckie threw Goku an 'I told you so' look but continued to unwrap it.

            Bulma, being sheltered, had never seen anything like the wound on Vegeta's forehead. She had to cover her mouth and take deep breaths to keep from getting sick.

            There was a very large gash just above his right eye and it was all blue and swollen.

            "You didn't take him to a hospital?" Bulma asked accusingly.

            "No." Chuckie answered simply.

            "Why not?" Bulma said even louder.

            "Because he..." Chuckie said raising her voice a decimal as well but got cut off.

            "Stoh yelin." Vegeta mumbled while rolling over so that his back was facing toward them and pulling the covers up over his head completely ignoring the large gash on it. 

            "I'm sorry baby." Chuckie said while rubbing his side soothingly. She then turned back to Bulma. "Come on." She said. "I'll explain it to you in the living room."

            Giving one last glance to Vegeta, she left the room with the other two right behind her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~         

                Sorry that took so long. I've been too lazy to update. Please R/R


	13. Watching You

Chapter 12- Watching You

            Bulma, Goku, and Chuckie were now sitting in Vegeta's living room.

            "So why didn't you take him to a hospital?" Bulma asked trying to keep the accusation out of her voice.

            "Don't worry Bulma." Goku said before Chuckie could answer, "Vegeta's lived through a lot worse."

            Goku's comment did nothing to reassure her. All it did was add to her curiosity. But before she could ask anything else, Chuckie answered her first question.

            "We couldn't bring him to a hospital because he was at a bar when it happened and he is only 17. If anyone found out that a 17 year old was in Gee's much less working there, we would lose our bar and he would lose his job."

            "Oh." Bulma said. "But when you said he'd been through worse what did you mean?" 

            Chuckie glared at Goku for having brought it up. "You tell her." She said to him,

            "Well?" Bulma asked looking from one person to the other.

            "Uh...Where do I start?" Goku said somewhat nervously. "Well when Vegeta was four, his mom was killed and he was beaten up really bad to the point where he was almost dead. It's said that his dad killed his mom and then tried to kill him too. He lived through it but was in a coma for a few months. That was pretty much what I meant."

            Bulma was in shock. "Are you saying that his own father tried to kill him?" She said in a whisper trying to picture her own father trying to kill her. "That's horrible!"

            "Yes it is." Chuckie agreed.

            "But don't talk about it with Vegeta, or even tell him we told you. He doesn't like people to know." Goku said in a serious tone.

            "Okay." Bulma said and then let her curiosity start running wild again. "But what did he do after that?"

            Chuckie sighed inwardly and figured that they had might as well tell her the whole story. "Vegeta's father, was never seen again after that. After a few years, the police gave up looking for him."

            "I meant to Vegeta." Bulma said. 

            "Oh" Chuckie said. "When he was released from the hospital, he obviously had nowhere to go. Therefore a young couple decided to take him in as foster parents..."

            Chuckie went on to tell the story of how Vegeta met Zachary and then came to live in the apartment. Goku had filled in a few of the gaps with information he knew, like Vegeta's scholarship and everything.

            After they had finished telling the story, and Bulma had finished asking questions, it was three o'clock. Seeing as school was already over, Bulma wasn't in a rush to go anywhere. Goku and Chuckie were however. Goku had football practice and Chuckie had to go to work. 

            And being that they couldn't possibly leave Vegeta alone in his condition, Bulma being the helpful person she is, had offered to stay with him for a while and let the other two go on about their business.

            At first they had said no, but somehow or another, Bulma had gotten them to agree. Besides, Bulma would only be alone with him for four hours because Goku's practice would end at seven and he would come back to Vegeta's apartment and stay the night with him. Chuckie was just a few minutes away and in walking distance so if anything happened, Bulma would just call and she'd be right over. Goku had left her his number too. And although she couldn't see what could possibly happen in four hours she took the numbers anyway. 

            Now, she was all alone with Vegeta. This was definitely something she could brag about. But before she could start thinking of stories to tell people, she had to call her parents. They would probably be wondering where she was. She held off on dialing the number, though, to think about what she would say.

            _"Hi parents! I'm just alone in an apartment all up in the boom-docks with a comatose teenaged boy. But don't worry, another boy's coming over soon."_

            No. That would definitely not do.

            Since she couldn't think of anything truthful and reassuring to say, she would just have to be vague on the details.

            Thinking this, she dialed her mom.

            "Hello." Bulma said as someone picked up.

            "Bulma dear!" Good. It was her mom. She wouldn't ask as many questions as her dad would.

            "Hi mom. I'm just calling to let you know that I'm at a friend's house."

            "Oh that's nice dear. Will you be spending the night?"

            Bulma was a bit taken aback by the question. "Uh...I doubt it." She answered.

            "Alright. But if you do decide to stay, there are some clean clothes (capsules) in your purse." 

            "Okay mom. Bye." Bulma said, turned off the phone, and stuck it back in her purse.

            With this done, she decided to go check on Vegeta.

            Very quietly, so as not to wake him, she opened the door to his room. She, just as quietly tiptoed up to his bed.

            Even with the room being mostly dark, she could  see how handsome he was.

            As if knowing that she was staring at him, Vegeta opened his eyes and slowly started to sit up.

            Bulma just stood there and watched him for a second before realizing what was happening.

            "Lie back down." She said pushing him gently back down. "You have to stay in bed."

            Vegeta, although not knowing why or who the girl giving him orders was, complied. "I'm hungry." He said a lot more clearly than he had been talking a while ago. "_You_ go get me something to eat since _I_ can't."

            Bulma figuring that he was still kind of messed up in the head and couldn't help but be rude, left the room and did as he asked.

            When she came back, Vegeta was sitting up and leaning against the wall.

            "I thought I told you to lay down." Bulma said seeing him after she had switched the light on.

            "Well yeah. But I can't eat laying down can I?" Vegeta said grabbing the sandwich from the plate she was holding and taking a bite of it. He ignored the way his head was throbbing. 

            Bulma didn't even bother to argue back. She just found a chair and sat down in it, quite content to watch him eat.

            "By the way who are you?" He asked as though asking if it would rain.

            Bulma was totally offended. "I'm Bulma!" She all but yelled. "You met me a few days ago. I'm in both your English and Trig. classes!"

            Vegeta looked as though he was thinking. "Oh yeah." He said as though not really caring. "You're Goku's friend." And then as an afterthought. "But why are you in my room?"

            "Huh?" Bulma said forgetting her anger at him not remembering her. She blushed slightly at his question although not knowing why. "Um. I was watching you." She stated dumbly.

            "Watching me?" He asked cocking an eyebrow.

            "Yes."

            "Where's Chuckie. Isn't she here?"

            "No she left."

            "When?" he asked.

            "A few minutes ago." Bulma answered.

            Vegeta, instead of saying anything, looked at the clock on his bedside. His eyes widened as he read the time. Jumping out of bed, he exclaimed, "I gotta go to practice!' He didn't get very far because jumping up so fast gave him a dizzy spell.

            Thankfully, before he fell, Bulma caught him. Since she had to bend her knees to support his weight, (he didn't weigh much, she just wasn't strong) her face was pressed against his chest. He was very warm, and she loved the feel of his muscles. She could've stayed that way forever.

            Instead, she snapped herself out of her thoughts, and started pushing Vegeta back to the bed. 

            "But I got to go to practice." Vegeta protested.

            "No you don't. Goku is probably going to explain to the coach why you aren't there, okay. So go back to bed." 

            Still Vegeta tried to break free of her hold. But his head was pounding and he couldn't think straight. 

            Bulma took advantage of this and pushed him with all her weight onto the bed. In the process, she lost her balance and fell on top of him. (didn't see that coming)

            Bulma stayed like that for a few seconds, savoring the moment, before Vegeta pushed her off. It was rather fortunate for her that his eyes were clenched shut, or he would have seen how red her face was.

            "Turn the light off." Vegeta whispered pulling the covers over his head and rolling onto his side. His head hurt like hell, now, and the lights and noises were making it worse.

            "Why." Bulma asked kind of afraid of what the answer might be but hopeful at the same time.

            "Because it's making my head hurt." Vegeta almost whimpered.

            "Oh." Bulma said with a mixture of panic and dejection in her voice. 

            It was then that she remembered that they had not replaced the bandage on his forehead. She found it lying on the bedside table and went to put it back on him.

            Vegeta, however, had other things in mind. He would not let her near his head, and would mumble 'leave me alone' every time she tried to pull the blanket out of the way.

            Eventually they had compromised. Bulma had gotten a cold rag and placed it on his forehead. This had helped a lot and he had almost instantly fallen asleep.

            Bulma yawned as she had finally gotten him dealt with. He was just like a big baby, all men were. She plopped back in her chair to wait for Goku, but instead fell asleep as well.

            


	14. Father

Chapter 13- Father

            Goku had explained to the coach what had happened to Vegeta and the coach had agreed to excuse him for a few days. 

            After practice, Goku had gone back to Vegeta's apartment (he had taken the key with him) to find both Vegeta and Bulma asleep. Goku hadn't had the heart to wake Bulma up and tell her to go home. Instead, he had put her on the couch to make her more comfortable.

            After eating a snack, he had made himself a pallet in the living room and had fallen asleep as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Rehtaf had been overjoyed to hear that his plan was going so well. The first step was now completed. 

            He had wanted to give Vegeta a good knock upside the head so that it would be easier to knock him out when he abducted him. Seeing that this had worked, he would now move on to step two.

            He would have to move quickly before Vegeta's concussion loses its effects. But not too quickly so as to raise suspicion. With a little bit of spying, he had learned that there were people at Vegeta's apartment with him. That ruled out the possibility of him abducting Vegeta from his house. He would have to find another way.

            Now, he was sitting on the rooftop of the building next to Vegeta's apartment. Locke and Shadow were stationed nearby as well.

            They had decided that they would strike during the night. That way, it would be easier to slip away unnoticed.

            Although it was nighttime now, around ten o'clock, it didn't seem as though the two people at Vegeta's apartment would be leaving anytime soon. He had seen a boy with black hair and a girl with blue hair enter, and then a girl with black hair leave, then the boy with black hair left but came back a few hours later.

            He was starting to think that these people were on to him.

            _No. He decided. __That's not possible. These people are too dumb to know what I'm planning._

            With that thought, he prepared himself to sit the rest of the night waiting for these people to leave.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta had woken up to the sound of his alarm clock and rain outside his window. He hadn't remembered resetting it, but figured that Chuckie must have, whether accidentally or not. He could almost picture what had happened when Chuckie heard it the day before.

            He, of course, would have been unconscious, and not able to tell her how to turn it off. After a few choice words, she would have picked it up and started hitting buttons. She probably had hit the reset button and just figured she had turned it off.

            After finishing his musing, he went into the connecting bathroom, all the while marveling at how little his head hurt, and took a shower. 

            While brushing his teeth, he saw why his head had hurt so badly. While his head did look considerably better than it did the day before, it still looked pretty bad. The big gash had scabbed over and the bruise was starting to fade. He always knew he was a fast healer.

            After getting dressed, he walked out of his room to find Goku and Bulma sprawled out in his living room. He looked from one to the other confused.

            "Uhh...Goku." He said nudging Goku with his foot. 

            Goku woke up and propped himself up on his elbow. He yawned and then looked around wondering where he was. Finally, his eyes settled on Vegeta. "Oh hey Vegeta!" He said cheerfully as ever despite just waking up. Vegeta grimaced at his voice. "I see you're up!" Goku continued just as cheerfully standing up and looking down at his attire. "Mind if I borrow some clothes?"

            "...Uh...Go ahead." Vegeta said not really in the mood for any arguing or such. Instead he started searching for his keys.

            "Huh? What's goin' on? Where am I?" Bulma asked sitting up on the couch and rubbing her eyes.

            "You're in my apartment." Vegeta answered while digging around the kitchen, still unable to find his keys. "Don't ask me why."    

            "Oh!" Bulma exclaimed embarrassed. She jumped off the couch and started running her hands through her hair as if to brush it. "Do you mind if I use your bathroom?"

            "I think Goku might be in there." He answered.

            Bulma had already found her purse and was digging through it to find her capsule clothes. Finding it, she pulled it out, and started digging once again for her brush.

            Goku walked into the living room a few minutes later with some dark blue jeans and a red shirt with some evil looking eyes on it. The clothes fit him pretty good. But that was to be expected being that Vegeta always wore his clothes baggy.

            Bulma, seeing that Goku was out of the bathroom, rushed in to go change as well. Since it was already almost seven, neither Goku nor Bulma showered. 

            "Goku." Vegeta said walking back into the living room. "Where are my keys?"

            "I've got them." Goku said pulling Vegeta's keys out of his pocket.

            "Give 'em here." Vegeta said grabbing for them.

            Goku pulled them out of Vegeta's reach. "No Vegeta." He said flatly. "You can't drive. You might black out or something."

            Before Vegeta could argue back, Bulma came back into the living room all dressed and ready for school.

            "We'd better hurry." Goku said putting his arm around Vegeta's shoulders in a buddy-buddy manner. "We wouldn't want to be tardy."

            Vegeta just hmphed, grabbed his schoolbag from by the door, and let Goku lead him out of the apartment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta had a pretty decent day at school besides everyone asking him what happened to his head.

            Mr. Dilloir had been ready and willing to write Vegeta up for skipping school the previous day, but upon seeing his forehead, had let the idea drop.

            Goku had given his keys back at lunchtime in return for Vegeta eating lunch with him and the rest of the gang.

            Vegeta wasn't allowed to participate in PE, and so had gone talk to Mr. Kozaku. To his surprise, Mr. Kozaku hadn't said anything like 'I told you so' but had only asked him if he was all right and stuff.

            After school, since he was not allowed to practice either, he hitched a ride with a girl and went home. 

            When he got home, he did his homework and make-up work (it wasn't much because it was the beginning of the school year.) When he was done with his homework, which didn't take very long, he went to get a snack. 

            Seeing as he had slept all day, the day before he wasn't in the mood for a nap. Therefore, he did something that he rarely did: watch TV.

            He settled on an old war movie. It was pretty good. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            If Rehtaf knew Vegeta at all, he would know that Vegeta would go to work no matter what.

            Well, Rehtaf did know Vegeta. He knew him very well.

            Therefore, he did not strike at Vegeta while he was alone in his apartment. He would do it outside where the rain would wash away the evidence.

            Without wasting time, he parked his car next to the alley that Vegeta usually ran through and then he, Locke, and Shadow, took up positions in the alley.    

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The movie ended at seven. 

            For some odd reason, he wanted to go to work. He knew that Goku would most probably come over and tell him that he couldn't go, so he would just have to leave before he got there.

            He quickly took a shower, got dressed, and left the apartment.

            It was already dark outside, and still raining. It usually got like that during the fall in West City.

            He quickly walked the few blocks to the block Gee's was on. Instead if walking around the block, he decided to cut through the alley. He had been doing that a lot lately. Usually because he would be late if he went around, but this time, it was to be out of view in case Goku rode by.

            He had already made it halfway thorough the alley when he realized that something was wrong. He couldn't really see anything out of place, but he felt it.

            He stopped in his tracks when he heard the click of a gun being loaded. He had heard that sound too many times and it always meant bad news.

            He started to turn around to see if there was really anyone behind him, but he got his answer too soon.

            Before he had turned all the way around, the man that was, in fact, behind him, fired. The bullet hit him in the back, cracking a rib but miraculously not hitting his lung. 

            The force of the bullet made him pitch forward. He was caught before he hit the ground, however, by a second man.

            He had no idea who these people were or what he had done to him, but he had the feeling that his questions would be answered soon.

            The two men didn't say anything, and held him tight as he struggled to get away. One of the men had gagged him so he couldn't yell.

            Suddenly he heard footsteps heading toward them. His first reaction was relief that he would be saved. The relief subsided to panic once again as he realized that the two men weren't letting him go. He knew that they had heard the person approaching them. That they weren't even worrying about it only meant one thing, the person was with them.

            Vegeta tried to calm himself. If these people were going to kill him, he would be killed proud and defiant, not cowering in fear.

            His pride and defiance all but melted away as he saw who it was that had been walking towards them. With so little light, he had not been able to make out the person's face until he was only three feet away.

            His expression turned to complete shock as he saw who the person was. This was the person who had destroyed everything that he loved when he was just a young boy, the person he still had nightmares about, the person he had tried to rid the memories of for so long. 

            "We meet again." The person said and nodded for the men behind him to take off the gag..

            Vegeta was in such shock that he couldn't scream. This made the man smirk. Vegeta hated that smirk with all his being, the smirk that had been ever present on the man's face while he whipped him and burned him, hit him, and beat him as a child.

            The man's smirk grew until it looked completely maniacal as he lifted his gun above his head.

            One word slipped through Vegeta's lips as the gun collided with his skull effectively knocking him again.

            "Father..."

            


	15. Your Fault

Chapter 14- Your Fault

            "VEGETA!" Goku yelled as he pounded on the door. He had been doing this for at least ten minutes, and a few times people had told him not so politely to shut up.

            Goku had even gone so far as to call him on the phone. Vegeta hadn't answered.

            Either Vegeta was very mad at him or just not home. Vegeta hadn't seemed mad earlier and so Goku figured the latter. 

            Of course Goku knew that Vegeta would have gone to Gee's, that was exactly what he had come to keep him from doing, and so headed off in that direction.

            Goku had only been in Gee's a few times. Those being a holiday or two when he couldn't make the trip to his grandpa's. Since the people at the bar were basically like family, and Vegeta was part of that family, and Goku and Vegeta were such good friends, Goku had tagged along.

            Goku got out of his truck after the short drive and crossed the street to Gee's. When he walked through the door, he was stopped by a guy he knew to be Thomas.

            "ID." He said flatly. He obviously didn't recognize Goku.

            "Hi Thomas. Don't you remember me? I'm Goku." Goku said.

            Thomas seemed to think for a minute. "Oh yeah. I remember you. You're Vegeta's friend. I'm sorry but I can't let you in unless..."

            The mention of Vegeta's name had reminded Goku of why he was here. "This is about Vegeta." He said. "Is he here?"

            Thomas shook his head. "No. He hasn't been to work since the fight Sunday night. Surely you've heard about that."

            "Yes. I've heard. But he isn't at his apartment." Goku said.

            This sparked Thomas's interest. "I think you might want to talk to Chuckie about that one." He said and moved aside to let him pass.

            Goku went straight to the bar and sat down. Almost immediately, Chuckie recognized him and came over. She just stood there and waited for him to talk.

            Seeing this, Goku started. "Chuckie, I can't find Vegeta. I don't think he's at his apartment. If he is, he didn't answer. I knocked for fifteen minutes. I even called him. I was wondering if you knew where he was."

            Chuckie just stared at him for a while letting all this information sink in. "You think he might be still at school?" She finally asked.

            "No." Goku said. "I saw him catch a ride with some girl and...you don't think...?"

            "I doubt it. Vegeta isn't one for things like that. But...did you see who it was?"

            "She was a red head. That's all I saw."

            "Hm." Chuckie said. "Well I don't know what to tell you Goku. I'm sure he's fine. But if he doesn't show up at school tomorrow come see me."

            "So you're not worried?"

            "Maybe a little." She admitted. "But Vegeta's a resourceful kid. I doubt anything would happen to him."

            "Yeah. I guess you're right." Goku said, although he still had a deep sense of worry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

            After Rehtaf had knocked Vegeta out, he, Shadow, and Locke had thrown him in the trunk of their car and drove off toward the old house they used as a base. 

            The old house was in fact the one that Vegeta had lived in with his mother, named Rachelle, and his father. 

            Vegeta's father, now recognized to be Rehtaf, had been a drug addict. Every night, he would drink and smoke and sniff and chew until he was out of his mind. The slightest things would set him off. Usually it was things like Vegeta forgetting to pick something up or Rehtaf not liking Rachelle's cooking. Rehtaf would get incredibly pissed and beat her and rape her until she was black and blue. 

            Then with that done, he would move on to Vegeta. Of course he wouldn't rape the kid. He wasn't that out of it. But he did beat him. A lot. He would threaten Vegeta that if he would tell anyone about what he did, he would kill him and his mother.

            When one day, a neighbor saw the bruises and whip marks on Vegeta, they had called the police.

            Somehow or another, Rehtaf had found out about this and before the cops arrived, had tried to kill them both. 

            He had succeeded in killing Vegeta's mother, Rachelle. She had died well before the police arrived. Then he had tried to kill Vegeta. He beat him to the point that any normal child would have died. But Vegeta had hung on to the small strand of life long enough for the police and paramedics to be able to save him.

            That was why Rehtaf wanted to kill Vegeta now: to finish the job he started. Everyone knew, of course that it was Rehtaf that had killed Rachelle and had tried to kill Vegeta. Vegeta was proof of that fact. 

            Over the years, Rehtaf had grown to believe that it was Vegeta's fault that all of this had happened. It was his fault that the neighbor had called the police. It was Vegeta's fault that Rachelle was dead, even though it was Rehtaf himself that had killed her.

            Somehow, Rehtaf thought Vegeta was the walking incarnation of evil. He felt that if he killed Vegeta, he would be doing the world a favor, that if he killed Vegeta, his name would be cleared.

            "So the kid's your son?" Shadow asked snapping Rehtaf out of his reverie. He was tying Vegeta to a chair in the middle of what used to be Vegeta's room. Locke, who was sitting across the room, had been wondering the same thing.

            Rehtaf looked from one to the other. "What's it to you?" He said harshly.

            Both of them let the subject drop and turned back to the task at hand. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta woke up, again, with a horrible headache.

            He waited until his vision cleared and then looked around the dimly lit room. He recognized it right off. This was his old room, the room he used to live in when his mother was still alive. Of course the paint was faded and chipped and the carpet was stained, but other than that, it looked the same as the last time he'd seen it. It even had the toys that he had been about to pick up when his father had...

            His eyes stopped scanning the room and rested on three figures. Two of them, he didn't recognize. The third was very familiar. He saw that face every night in nightmares.

            "Hello." The man said with mock sincerity. "It's nice to see you awake. I was afraid I'd hit you too hard. It doesn't hurt does it?"

            Even though Vegeta was not gagged anymore, he still didn't say anything.

            "You don't want to talk huh?" His father said standing up and walking over to him. The other two men followed suit.

            Vegeta, shock completely lost, stared up at his father with open hatred.

            "Why don't you talk to me, son? You know that hurts my feelings." Rehtaf said balling his hand into a fist. "Come on! Talk!" He demanded.

            "Bastard." Vegeta spat through clenched teeth.

            Rehtaf punched him in the jaw. "Don't talk to your father that way!" He yelled. "Do you know how much torture you caused me? Huh? Do you?"

            "I caused you?" Vegeta growled. "I always thought it was the other way around."

            "SHUT UP!" Rehtaf yelled hitting him again. "I didn't tell you to talk."

            Vegeta was about to say something but Rehtaf started talking again.

            "Did you know that there were police chasing me for years, because of you? I couldn't get a decent night sleep for _years_ all because of _you_. You told that woman everything I told you not to tell anyone and then you told the police. Why would you do that. After everything I did for you. I gave you life..."

            "And you tried to take it away." Vegeta butted in earning himself another punch from one of the other men.     

            Rehtaf growled. "IT DOESN"T MATTER!" He yelled raising his foot and kicking Vegeta in the stomach. "When are you going to learn to accept that it is your fault and not mine?!"

            "I think you are deluding yourself. It isn't my fault. _You_ killed mom, not _me_!" Vegeta ground back at him.      

            "NO!" Rehtaf yelled kicking him again. "IT"S YOUR FAULT! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING! IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU, SHE'D STILL BE ALIVE!!!!" With that he knocked him out again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            _If it weren't for you, she'd still be alive... These words played over and over in Vegeta's head. __Maybe he's right. Maybe it is my fault..._


	16. Still Missing

Chapter 15- Still Missing

            The next day at school Vegeta wasn't there. Goku had looked all over and he couldn't find him. He had found the girl that Vegeta had caught a ride with, and she said she had brought him straight home. She'd even watched him go inside.

            Goku couldn't figure out where Vegeta would be. He had gone by his apartment that morning, thinking he'd be home by then, to offer him a ride. Again, Vegeta didn't answer the door. Goku saw his bike in the parking lot and so figure that he had caught a ride with somebody else.

            But when he had gotten to school, he couldn't find him their either. It seemed that nobody had seen him since school the day before.

            For some reason, Bulma was just as unnerved as him. He guessed, though, that it was just Vegeta's effect on all the girls at school. 

            When Mr. Dilloir accused him of skipping school, Bulma had joined in with the rest of the girls arguing back that he had an excuse. No one knew quite what that excuse was, but they were sure he had one.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            After school and football practice, Goku had gone back to Gee's and had told Chuckie that he couldn't find Vegeta.

            This seemed to get Chuckie worried.

            When Goku had asked her what was wrong, she had told him that people had reported hearing gunshots the day before.

            This confirmed Goku's suspicions: Vegeta was in trouble, if not dead.

            He quickly called Bulma and ChiChi and told them what was going on. They had agreed to ride around town and look for him. But by ten o'clock, none of them had seen a trace of him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Again Vegeta woke up tied to the chair. He was getting really tired of being knocked out. Doing a quick scanning of the room, he determined that he was alone. 

            Seeing that, he decided to take an inventory of himself. So far, the only things that hurt were his head, his stomach and a small part of his back where he had been shot. He could feel where the bone cracked and where the bullet was still inside him. He could also feel where the blood had dried all down his backside.

            His head shot up when he heard a noise. About a second later, the door opened and his father stepped in. Vegeta watched silently as the man approached him. He must have left the other two downstairs.

            "You know." He said in a very conversational tone. "I was really hoping to beat you and then burn you alive in the house last night. But it was too wet. I guess we'll just have to wait until it's dry, won't we? But don't worry. We'll have some fun in the meantime."

            He pulled out a knife and cut a hole in Vegeta's shirt. Using the hole, he ripped the shirt in half and tore it off of him. He then took the knife and started dragging it lightly across Vegeta's chest.

            Ever so slowly, he started to press harder. He only pressed down hard enough to cut his skin however. If he killed Vegeta now, he wouldn't get to have his fun later.

            Vegeta didn't scream. Years of pain had taught him how to endure such things. Instead he looked down to watch as his skin started to bleed. To his surprise, Rehtaf was carving a symbol into his skin.

            Vegeta had never seen the symbol before.

            Rehtaf looked up from his work to see why his son wasn't screaming. He was sort of confused to see that Vegeta's face showed no sign of pain. Instead, he saw that Vegeta was staring at the symbol on his chest as if trying to figure out what it said.

            Since it really didn't hurt his plan to tell him what the symbol was for, he decided to explain it to him.

            "It means 'evil'." He said causing Vegeta to look up at him. "The symbol means evil." He repeated. 

            Vegeta just cocked an eyebrow so Rehtaf continued. "I am carving it on you because you are evil. I learned the symbol from an old fortune teller. She said that the symbol must be carved into the chest or it will mean nothing. Once the symbol is carved, it will judge you. If you are really evil the mark will stay on your chest forever. If you are not, it will disappear. But we won't have to worry about that."  

            Vegeta just listened silently. He was actually wondering which one he was. Was he really evil? Was it really his fault that his mother is dead? Or was his father just a crackpot? 

He guessed that his father was just a crackpot. But he couldn't help but wonder...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Vegeta had been beaten again that night, if for nothing but the fun of it. He had long since decided that his father was and had always been cracked.

            As the men were punching, kicking, burning, and whipping him, he idly wondered how his father had managed to stay out of prison for so long. One would think he would be too stupid to run from the law. But after Rehtaf had managed to do all of this to him, Vegeta figured he still had a bit of brain left in him, even if he didn't use it much.

            After sitting in the room for a while by himself after that, he wondered why the two men had called his father Rehtaf. He had figured that it was code. He knew that his father's name wasn't Rehtaf. He couldn't remember what it _was_ though. 

            He sat for a while longer, he had long since lost track of time, and tried to figure out why 'Rehtaf'. Finally he realized that Rehtaf was Father spelled backwards. 

            _Well that's stupid. _Vegeta thought. _He would be the only person capable of coming up with such a lame code name._

            With that thought finally out of his head, he deliberated how he was going to get out of this mess.

            His father had told him during one of the beatings that he was to be killed Thursday. He wasn't really sure, but he thought today was Thursday.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Goku had gone to school again today hoping that Vegeta would be there, but again he found that he wasn't. 

            At lunch, Goku decided to skip practice to ride around the town looking for him again. He had an odd feeling that something bad would happen that day.

            He silently prayed that he wasn't right.


	17. Thursday

Chapter 16-Thursday

            Vegeta had struggled with the bindings trying to free himself for at least an hour and all he was doing was wearing himself out. If he would have been at his full strength, he would have been able to break free. But he hadn't eaten or drank anything at all since he left his house and that, along with his injuries made it all the more difficult. 

            Eventually, he gave up and managed to fall asleep.

            After having slept for only ten minutes, he was awakened by someone punching him. When he opened his eyes, he found his father with the two other men, which he had recently learned were Locke and Shadow, more stupid names, standing in front of him. All three were smirking evilly. Just looking at their faces, he could tell that this was it. He wasn't getting out of this one.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Goku was waiting impatiently for the bell to ring. He had decided during lunch time that he would go ride around and look for Vegeta again. Now, it was last hour. He had changed out of his PE clothes and was shifting his weight from one foot to the other glancing at his watch every few seconds begging the little numbers to switch to 3:00

            Finally, they did, and Goku, along with Bulma and ChiChi, hopped into his truck and sped out of the parking lot.

            Bulma and Goku dropped ChiChi off at her house. She had a report or something to do.

            After that, Goku and Bulma drove off again to make their rounds.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The three men had started the beating in the usual way, with fists and feet. A while later, Locke had gone off to, he had overheard, spread gas throughout the house. Shadow and Rehtaf had remained in the room to continue the beating. Soon the punches and kicks got harder. They had cracked his jaw and a couple of ribs. Vegeta couldn't help but let a few screams out.

            Suddenly they stopped. Rehtaf said something to Shadow, which Vegeta couldn't hear, and Shadow left. A few seconds later, Shadow, followed by Locke, walked back in with a bag in his hand. Shadow set the bag on the floor and started taking contents out of it. He handed a bottle of what looked like pills to Rehtaf.

            Vegeta, seeing the pills started to squirm once again, but soon stopped as Shadow grabbed his broken jaw and forced his mouth open.

            They were going to drug him!

            Vegeta tried to squirm harder or at least close his mouth, but he couldn't. Locke grabbed him and held him still. 

            Vegeta would have screamed but then figured that it wouldn't pay to. No one would be able to hear him. The houses were spread too far apart. They were within seeing distance but not hearing. It would be pointless to yell.

            Vegeta closed his eyes as he felt Rehtaf pour the pills into his mouth. He clenched his throat shut in an attempt to keep from swallowing the pills. Rehtaf then poured some Scotch, from the taste of it, into his mouth. 

            When he saw that Vegeta wasn't swallowing, Rehtaf punched him in the stomach.

            Vegeta gasped swallowing most of the pills and choking on the rest. He looked back up to Rehtaf.

            He was holding another bag of some white powder with that same old smirk pasted on his face.

            Rehtaf repeated what he had done with the pills five other times with five different drugs all the while explaining that he was giving Vegeta the drugs so that he wouldn't be able to get out of the house but still be awake to feel himself burning alive.

            Vegeta's stomach had tried to throw up a few times, but he found that he couldn't.

            Finally Rehtaf stepped back. Vegeta was dazed and nauseous, just beginning effects of the drugs. He vacantly watched himself being untied, lifted up out of the chair, and laid on his stomach on the floor. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't make himself function enough to stop them.

            He suddenly felt sharp stinging pain in his back and he realized he was being whipped. As the drug's effects got stronger, he couldn't even make himself scream. All he could do was lay there.

            Eventually the whipping stopped. Vegeta vaguely felt someone's foot rolling him onto his back, but he did feel the sting of pressure on his new wounds.

            Time seemed to slow as Vegeta heard three loud bang that he recognized to be gunshots. He felt three sharp pains that seemed to be cutting through him: one in his stomach, one in his heart, and one in his lung. Again Vegeta couldn't find the sense to scream. So he just laid there and watched as the three men left the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Matilda was out watering her garden. For the past few days, she had seen a car at the old house down the street. She figured that someone was finally moving in there.

            As she straightened up, she noticed that there was smoke coming from the house. Not from the chimney, but from the house itself. She quickly ran inside to call the fire department. 

            The Fire department said that they'd be right over. 

            Matilda ran back out of her house, pretty fast for her age, and started making her way toward the house. By now she could see the flames on the first floor. They seemed to be rising fast.

            _Poor young people. Matilda thought as she neared the burning house. _Something always happens to the people that live here. I don't suppose anyone told them what happened to that young girl and her son. Poor, poor people.__

            People were running from all directions to watch the house burn. Some of them had seen the car there a few days ago and had thought the same thing as Matilda. People were all pulling out their phones. Some to call the fire department, others to call their friends.

            Everyone turned as the Fire truck drove up with its sirens blaring. The police, ambulance, and news crew was right behind it.

            The police started backing people away from the house as the firemen ran in. It was routine for them to check the house for anyone to be in it no matter how hopeless the fire.

            Now the flames were up to the second floor. Everyone figured that if there were anybody in the house, they'd be dead by then.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            By sheer miracle, Vegeta was not dead. He was laying on the floor, surrounded by flames, some of which were burning him, but he was still alive and, although barely conscious. The smoke was making it very hard for him to breathe. He was choking and gagging up blood.

            Suddenly, he thought he heard a voice. He didn't know if he was just imagining it or not. Then, he saw a figure in the smoke. His first thought was that it was Rehtaf or one of his men back to torture him some more, but then, he was proved wrong.

            The figure in the smoke yelled something to someone behind him and then came and knelt down beside Vegeta.

            It started speaking in soothing tones and two other figures came up behind it and knelt down also. They seemed to have a quick conversation with one another and then the first figure picked Vegeta up and started running through the house.

            The sudden movement made all of Vegeta's wounds scream in pain and he finally passed out. 


	18. Five Hours

Chapter 17- Five Hours

            ChiChi had finished with her other homework and was about to start on her current events report. She plopped down on the couch with a notebook and turned on the TV. Since the best way to keep up with events was on the news, she turned the station there.

Anchor woman:

**            ...has caught fire. It is suspected that foul play was involved. There was a young boy in the house at the time of the fire. He had four gunshot wounds, at least five broken ribs, first degree burns over much of his body, and is now comatose. The boy is being sent to West City Regional hospital. His identity is not known, but he is not expected to live more than five hours...**

            ChiChi put the TV on mute. During the broadcast they had shown a picture of Vegeta, bloody and burned, being hauled into an ambulance on a stretcher. ChiChi had almost not recognized him. 

            She picked up the phone and dialed Goku's number.

            "Hello." Goku said.

            "Goku!" ChiChi yelled frantic.

            "Hey ChiChi. What's wrong?"

            "Goku. It's Vegeta!"

            "What? What about him? Have you found him?"

            "No...Yes...He's at the hospital!" ChiChi heard Goku's truck screech to a halt.

            "What? What happened to him? Which one?"

            "There was a fire and gunshots and burns and..."

            "Wait! Wait ChiChi! Just tell me which hospital he's at." ChiChi heard Bulma yelling something in the background when he said that.

            "West City Regional!" ChiChi said and dropped the phone back on the hook and ran out the house.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bulma and Goku were now at West City Regional. They ran into the lobby and straight up to the desk. 

            "We're looking for Vegeta Ouji. He was the young boy the found in the fire." Bulma said since Goku was too shocked to talk.

            She hadn't heard the extent of Vegeta's injuries so she wasn't as frantic.

            The nurse just pointed them down the hall to the waiting room. They went to the waiting room, not knowing where else to go. When they got in, they saw a room full of crying teenage girls and football players that were eerily quiet. Mr. Kozaku was there too. They all must have recognized Vegeta like ChiChi did.

            "How bad is it?" Goku quietly asked going to stand, since there were no chairs left, next to Mr. Kozaku.

            Mr. Kozaku shook his head sadly. "They're giving him five hours."

            "What!" Goku yelled tears brimming in his eyes. "No! He can't die!"

            "I'm sorry son." Mr. Kozaku said. "They've done all they can do. His injuries are too severe. They don't have the technology to help him."

            "Technology?" Bulma choked out. She had heard the conversation between Goku and Mr. Kozaku and had started bawling like all the other girls. "I live at Capsule Corp. My dad has technology. He can save him."

            Most of the girls in the room, the ones that had heard Bulma, had stopped crying. Goku visibly brightened. 

            "Really! Do you think he can?" He said hopefully.

            "Well come on! Get him over here!" One of the girls shouted.

            Bulma pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number. "Hello...daddy..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Ten minutes later, Dr. Briefs walked into the hospital with a sobbing Mrs. Briefs right behind him. Mrs. Briefs didn't know Vegeta, but she always cries about stuff like this.

            The Briefs were welcomed by a group of over thirty teenagers, twelve townsfolk, seven coaches, five teachers, four bar bouncers, two bar tenders and three doctors. (and a partridge in a pear tree... Sorry.)

            "Hello." Doctor Briefs said.

            "Daddy!" Bulma yelled, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward the doctors. "You can help him right?"

            "Well I'd have to see him first." Dr. Briefs stated.

            "I'm sorry sir, but no visitor are allowed in the ICU." One of the doctors said.

            Everyone started to protest but it was Chuckie that approached the doctor. "HEY!" She yelled. "Let the man in! Vegeta's going to die if you don't help him. Since you obviously can't do that, LET SOMEONE WHO CAN!!!"

            The doctor backed off. "Alright. But not everyone can come in. He is in a critical state and is not yet stable. Too many people in there would be sure to mess everything up."

            It was decided that only Dr. Briefs, Bulma, Chuckie, Gee, and Goku would be allowed in.

            Everyone got quiet once again as the five people along with the doctors walked down the hall.

            The five people were also quiet. They were required to wash their hands and put on nurse masks before they entered.

            Bulma gasped when they entered. Like she always did at the sight of blood or anything close to it, she started to get queasy. 

Vegeta was sprawled out on the bed with wires and tubes all over him. The heart rate monitor was beeping very, very slowly.

            Dr. Briefs walked right over and immediately started examining him.

            Goku, Gee, and Chuckie just kind of stood there in shock. It was one thing to hear what had happened, but another thing to see it.

            "You can help him dad, can't you?" Bulma asked still pretty nauseous.

            "Well I...I can try." Dr. Briefs said. "Don't worry honey. Where there's a will, there's a way." 

            This seemed to cheer Bulma up a bit.

            "So Mr. Briefs," one of the doctors asked accusingly. "Why don't we have this technology here at the hospital?"

            "Because most of it is prototype." Dr. Briefs explained simply. This effectively shut the doctors up.

            Everyone's hope of Vegeta surviving dropped when he told them that.

            "Um..Mr. Briefs," Another doctor spoke up. "How would we get all of the equipment over here in less than four hours?"

            Dr. Briefs turned to her. "Well. I was thinking that it would be easier to bring _him_ to Capsule Corp."

            "What?!" The first doctor said. "I cant just discharge my patient to some...some..."

            "Capsule Corp. has a registered medical wing." Dr. Briefs clarified. "We will have to airlift him there. We'd better hurry too." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            All of the people that had now gathered in the hall tried to get close and see Vegeta as he was wheeled down the hall to the airbed. The doctors were pretty unsuccessful when they tried to push them back. There were just too many of them.

            Everyone actually followed them until they got to the elevator. Then they went up the stairs. All of the doctors and nurses wondered how one person could attract so many people as they all filtered onto the roof.

            Vegeta was loaded into the airbed. Everyone watched in silence as it lifted into the sky and headed for Capsule Corp. 

            Since there was so little room, only Dr, Briefs was allowed to ride. The rest of the group had to stay there.

            "Hey Bulma!" Yamcha said pushing through the crowd of people to where Bulma stood. Juuanchi, Krillin, ChiChi, and Mrs. Briefs were right behind him. "Do you...uh...do you need a ride."

            Bulma turned to them. "Alright." She said halfheartedly.


	19. Where There's a Will

Chapter 18- Where There's a Will

            Bulma's heart was thumping in her chest as she anxiously wondered if Vegeta would be okay. 

            When Yamcha had been driving her back to Capsule Corp., she had continuously urged him to go faster. She still didn't know why she was so upset over Vegeta, since she had only met him a few days ago. But at the moment, it didn't seem to matter.

            After what seemed an eternity, they had finally gotten to Capsule Corp. Goku, ChiChi, and a few of the other people who knew where Vegeta was being taken, came too. 

            By the time they were there, the airbed had already left.

            Bulma had jumped out of Yamcha's car before he had even turned it off and had run into Capsule Corp. heading straight to where she knew the med-bay to be. But upon arriving there, she was denied entrance. The doctors had told her that Vegeta was in surgery and that it was too critical for her to be in there. After the surgery was over and Vegeta was in the tank, she would be allowed to see him.

            Bulma had asked what the tank was but the doctor had been called away before he could answer.

            Now Bulma, Yamcha, Goku, ChiChi, Gee, Chuckie, Mr. Kozaku, and a few other people were sitting silently in the hall outside of the med bay. They had been waiting for three hours for the doctors to finish. The tension in the hall was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

            The silence was broken, however, when Dr. Briefs walked into the room. Immediately, everyone shot to their feet.

            Mr. Briefs put his hands in front of him as if to ward off the bombard of questions. "Now, Now." He said. "Don't upset yourselves. The boy is stable...for now anyway."

            "So he'll live?!" Goku asked.

            "Well, the next few hours will tell really. Now if you want to see him follow me."

            All of the people that were waiting silently followed Dr. Briefs down the hall and into a room. The room looked like any other hospital room you might see except for a big tank sitting in the middle of it.

            Inside the tank, Vegeta was hooked up to some wires, needles and a facemask. The only clothes he was wearing was a pair of plain white boxers. There were bandages on his legs, chest, arms, and head however, to the point that even if he weren't burned, you really wouldn't be able to tell who he was anyway.

            Bulma immediately figured that this was the 'tank' the other doctor had told her about.

            "What's that?" Goku asked indicating the tank.

            "This is called a rejuvenation tank. It is designed to be able to save people from fatal injuries such as this. The liquid you see in the tank is synthetic human DNA. It allows the body inside to draw off the chemicals in order to heal itself faster and more effectively."

            "So how long will he be in there?" Goku asked.

            "Well, given his injuries, the tank would take him a little over a week to heal completely, but of course that would depend on how fast he heals. But unfortunately, since this is still a prototype, it only has three days worth of power. Therefore, he will be about a third healed before the tank runs out of energy."

            "What do you mean dad?!" Bulma said. "Why can't it just run off electricity?"

            "Well dear, like I said: it's prototype. I have not yet been able to figure a way to convert electricity directly into the right kind of power needed. The tank runs on a special kind of power and it takes weeks, even months, to convert it."

            "So for now, all we can do is wait?" Bulma asked feeling helpless.

            "Pretty much." Dr. Briefs said. "But we really should be leaving. We are in the way. Come on downstairs. I'm sure my wife has some tea made."

            "That's alright. Mr. Briefs." ChiChi said, somehow still thinking about school. "I still have to finish my current events essay."  

            "Yes and we have to be getting back too." Chuckie said. "Please call us if you know anything. Do you still have our number Bulma?"

            "Yes." Bulma said.

            Everyone left except for Bulma, Goku, Mr. Kozaku, and Yamcha. Mr. Briefs led everyone into the Capsule Corp. living room, where as promised, Mrs. Briefs had tea and cakes.

            No one talked for a good while until Mr. Kozaku spoke up. "It really is a shame the way one event can ruin a person's life." He said sadly.

            "Don't talk like that, Mr. Kozaku." Bulma said defensively although more to convince herself than him. "Vegeta will be fine. You'll see."

            "That's not what I was talking about. With him like this, there's no way he can play football." He clarified.

            "How can you think about sports at a time like this?!!" Bulma almost yelled.

            "He's right." Goku said as though just realizing something. "If he can't play, he'll lose his scholarship."

            "Oh." Bulma said. "Are you sure. I mean. Surely, he'll be okay by next year."

            "No. You don't get it Bulma. If he doesn't finish the year, they'll cut the offer." Goku said.

            "Well, how do you know he won't be better by then?"

            "The regular high school football season ends in November. It's September, Bulma. That gives him two months."

            "What about the play-offs?" Yamcha finally spoke up. "I mean if you guys make it to the play-offs, do you think he'll be better by then?"

            Mr. Kozaku and Goku both looked at each other hopefully. "Maybe so." Mr. Kozaku said and then spotted the clock on the nearby wall. "Well I'd better be going." 

            "Yeah me too." Goku said.

            Mr. Kozaku, Goku, and Yamcha stood up to leave. 

            "Umm...Bulma?"

            "Yes, Goku?"

            "How exactly do you get out of here?":

            "Come on." Yamcha said. "I'll show you."

            When Bulma and her father were all alone in the room, Bulma asked. "Dad. Do you really think Vegeta will be okay?"

            "Of course dear." Dr. Briefs said with a smile. "It's like I always say: 'where there's a will there's a way.'"  

            The only question left now was: was there a will?

            


	20. Through the Wreckage

Chapter 19- Through the Wreckage

            "They haven't found anything." 

            "Are you sure?"

            "Whatever evidence there might have been in there was destroyed in the fire. I'm guessing that kid was just trying to kill himself while his parents were out."

            "Maybe. We'd have to ask him though."

            "Injuries like that, he's probably dead."

            "Hmph." Detective Johnson agreed while taking a sip of his coffee. "Well let's hope he's not. I have a feeling that this is bigger than just some crazy suicidal teenager. Much bigger."

            "We can't run an investigation on your hunches, Johnson. We need evidence." Detective Brianna said.

            "I agree, and I want you to be the one to get it."

            "You can't be serious. I told you. The kid's probably dead. There's now way in hell that the kid can talk to us!"

            "I never said anything about talking. I want you to go to the hospital-which one was it?...Regional I think- go there and get a list of his injuries. See if he's been in there recently, and if so for what. Also try to find if the kid has a history with drugs or anything. And be sure you get a name."

            "But..." Brianna started. 

            Johnson was already walking away. "And take Dakotah with you." He called over his shoulder.

             Brainna sighed in exasperation and turned to go find Dakotah.

            After a few minutes of searching, she found him hunched over some ashes.

            "Anything interesting?" She asked.

            Without looking up at her, Dakotah answered. "No. Just getting some samples. What do you want?"

            "Johnson assigned us to get the kid's file."

            "Oh." He stood up and dusted off his pants. "Hold on, I just got to drop this off first."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bulma had woken up a half an hour early, and after she had gotten everything ready for school, had gone down to the med wing to pay Vegeta a visit.

            Upon seeing him, she was absolutely amazed. Her dad really was a genius.

            Vegeta's burns were considerably better, and it was much easier to tell who he was. He was still in a critical state, however, being that he had been shot in the heart, lung and stomach. Whoever did this to him knew what they were doing. She just hoped they found them soon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Fifty miles outside of West City, Rehtaf was celebrating. 

After the deed was finished, Shadow and Locke had gone their own way, right back into West City. Rehtaf wondered how stupid they could be. They had just killed a kid and they were going right back into the city like nothing happened. He'd heard of hiding in plain sight but that was ridiculous.

            He didn't know why he was worried about it though, the fire was sure to have destroyed any evidence. And even if the cops did figure out who was in the house, there was nothing they could do about it. There were no witnesses, no evidence, no nothing.

            Shadow and Locke had done this kind of thing before. They knew what they were doing, he supposed. Even if they were idiots.

            But still, he had a nagging doubt that wouldn't leave him alone. Damn that kid! Even after he was dead he was haunting him. The more he thought about it, the more he hated him.

            With a growl, he pulled back onto the road and continued heading east.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "We're looking for the kid that was in the fire." Brianna informed the nurse flipping her badge.

            The nurse didn't need to think about who they were talking about, much to the detective's surprise. "Sorry you missed him, he left us yesterday."

            "Dead?" Dakotah asked.

            "No. he was air bedded to Capsule Corp."

            "Capsule Corp.?"

            "Yes. We couldn't help him and Capsule Corp. had better technology or something like that."

            "Oh...Well do you know the boy's name?"

            "Umm...It was something odd...hold on." She typed something into the computer and then turned back to the detectives. "Vegeta...Vegeta Ouji."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Detective Johnson was still 'overseeing' the search. So far, nothing had been found.

            "Johnson!" 

            Johnson turned to see Detective Kyle striding over to him.

            When Kyle reached him, he handed him a notepad. "We questioned some of the neighbors. According to a few of them, there was a red car- older model- parked at the house for the last two weeks. None of them had seen any people though. And the description of the car was vague. Apparently, whoever owned it usually left early in the morning and came home late at night. My guess- the kid's parents. He probably waited 'till they were gone to try and kill himself."

            "That makes sense but it's best not to jump to conclusions. Anyway. If it was the kid's parents, why didn't they come back last night? Surely they'd heard what happened. It's the talk of the town."

            "Maybe they did hear and just went to the hospital. That's what I would have done."

            "Hm…So no one knows exactly _who _lived there?"

            "No."

            Johnson sighed. This was getting more complicated by the second. "Go find a record of the house's sale. See who sold it, who bought it, anything you can find. Also, be on a lookout for a car that matches the description. You got that?"

            "Got it." Kyle said turning and walking away.   

            Johnson looked down at the notepad and started flipping through the info. Not two minutes later, he was interrupted.

            "Sir?! Sir?!" A small scrawny man with coke-bottle eyeglasses and a trench coat was stumbling through the crowd of detectives and police officers. "Excuse me. Are you the one in charge?" He asked.

            "They tell me that." Johnson said sarcastically.

            "Oh. I'm Isaiah Thomas, arson specialist." He said extending his hand.

            Johnson took Thomas's hand and gave it a firm shake, almost chuckling as the small man jostled about. "Well. It's nice to meet you. I'm Detective Kirt Johnson. So tell me. What is your deduction Mr. Thomas?"

            "Well actually, I was here to ask you a question. You see I just got here, and well..." Thomas quit his ramblings when he caught Johnson's look and quickly got to business. "Was there anybody in the house at the time of fire?"

            "Did you really have to ask me that? I'm sure anybody in West City can tell you that there was a kid in there."

            "Yes well." Thomas shoved his glassed higher onto his nose. "Can you tell me where he was located in the house when he was found."

            "I believe he was in one of the upstairs bedrooms, why?"

            "Well sir, the fire seems to have been started on the first floor and was obviously not an accident. Either whoever was in there lit it purposely and then went upstairs after, or it was lit by someone else."

            "Mmhm. Yes confirms my suspicions. Could you write down whatever you just said, for the record you know." He shoved the notepad into his hand.

            As Thomas was searching for a pen, Johnson's cell phone rang. "Johnson... yeah... are you sure... I'll be right there."

            With that he hung up, and walked away, completely forgetting about Thomas. 

            


	21. Questioning

Chapter 20- Questioning

            "It's weird! The only record they had on the kid was the injuries from yesterday." Brianna exclaimed.

            After getting what records the hospital had, Brianna and Dakotah had called Johnson and informed him briefly on what they had- or hadn't- found. Then, instead of going to Capsule Corp., they had gone back to the detective office (?) to try and gather more information on Vegeta.

            "Let me see that." Johnson said grabbing the file and opening it. "Vegeta Ouji...Four gunshot wounds...chest...stomach...back. How could somebody shoot themself in the back?"

            "I don't know." Dakotah said "Ask him."

            "He's still alive?"

            "Yes." Brianna informed him. "He was taken to Capsule Corp."

            "What about his parents?"

            "What about them?" Dakotah asked.

            "Well were they at the hospital yesterday? Did they have anything on them?"

            "The people at the hospital didn't keep a log, but the nurse didn't remember anyone claiming to be his parents."

            Johnson grunted and threw the file back on the desk. "Well maybe 'Vegeta' is just some kind of nickname. Run a search on 'Ouji' and see if there are any males anywhere from 14 to 20 in the West City area."

            Dakotah turned and typed a few letters onto his computer. Brianna and Johnson leaned in a bit when the results came up.

            "Apparently," Dakotah said after reviewing the results. "'Ouji' is not a very common last name. There are only 23 people in the West city area with that last name and none of them are compatible."

            Johnson growled. "Well come on. Let's go to Capsule Corp. They might have some information."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Union High School was nothing but gossip. Not one of the teachers could get any of the kids to do work.

            Bulma had suddenly become one of the most popular girls in school.

            Mr. Dilloir, of course believed that Vegeta was just a no good drug head that tried to kill himself, but almost everyone else in school thought otherwise.

            Mr. Kozaku was trying to keep the peace, and get the kids to carry on with the school day as much as possible, but it wasn't working. It was only 10:30. Mr. Kozaku didn't know how much more he could take. He had thought about canceling the school day, but that would have been too hard to explain to the school board. Eventually, he decided to just keep sticking it out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "So are you sure the kid's name is Vegeta Ouji?" Detective Johnson asked Dr. Briefs.

            "Yes that's what Bulma and everyone else called him." Dr. Briefs answered.

            "Who is Bulma?" 

            "That's our daughter." Mrs.Briefs said walking into the room with tea in hand.

            "Really. Is she a friend of his?"

            "Oh yes. They go to the same school."

            "Which school?"

            "Union High." Dr. Briefs said. "But why do you want to know?"

            "Um...Could you hold on a second?" Johnson said to Doctor Briefs while pulling Brianna and Dakotah some distance away. "Okay you two. I want you to go to that High School and find some kids that might know something. Find out who his parents are, if he did drugs, got in fights, anything, you got it?"

            Dakotah and Brianna both nodded, turned and left.

            "Now. Where were we?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Goku Kakarott please report to the front office. Was heard throughout the school.

            Both Detectives waited patiently in the principal's office for the boy to arrive. After asking the principal, it had been determined that this 'Goku' boy would probably know the most about Vegeta.

            A boy, about 17 with black spiky hair that stuck out in all directions, walked slowly into the office with a look on his face that clearly stated that he was expecting some terrible news. He glanced at the three people in the room, never once speaking.

            "Goku." Mr. Kozaku said making him flinch. "These are Detectives Brianna and Dakotah. They're just here to ask you some questions." He indicated the two other people in the room and then stood up to leave. With one last glance at the two detectives, he walked out of the room.

            "Alright, Mr. Kakarott," Brianna spoke. "Please have a seat."

            Goku still didn't talk but did as he was told and sat in one of the chairs in front of Mr. Kozaku's desk. Brianna took the other seat and faced him.

            "So." Dakotah said, still standing behind Brianna. "We understand that you are friends with Vegeta Ouji."

            This seemed to gain Goku's voice back although the dreading look never left his face. "He's alright isn't he?"

            "Well 'alright' wouldn't be the word I would use, but if you're asking if he's still alive, then yes."

            Goku seemed to ease up at the detective's words. "So you're here to question me? What do you want to know?"

            "Well we were searching for your friend's identity and any information that could help us find out what happened to him. We couldn't find anything. Do you know if he would by chance go by a different name?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "Is 'Vegeta Ouji' his real name?" Brianna clarified.

            "Well 'Vegeta' is the first name he was born with, but 'Ouji' is his mother's last name."

            "What's his father's last name?"

            "I don't know."

            "What about his birthday?"

            "I think it's November 20th."

            "And he's, how old?"

            "!7."

            "Okay." Brianna continued after she'd finished writing down what Goku had just said. "Do you know if your friend does any drugs or has had any past attempted suicides?"

            "Vegeta would never try to kill himself!!" Goku yelled jumping out of his chair.

            "It's just routine questions." Brianna said.

            After Goku had calmed and sat back down, Dakotah asked. "Are you sure about that?"

            "Yes!" Goku said through gritted teeth.

            "Okay." Brianna said with a sigh. "Do you know if he has any enemies? Anyone with a grudge against him. Anyone who's tried to kill him before?"

            Goku just sat there.

            "Answer the question." Dakotah ordered.

            "I...I can't...I can't answer that." Goku said.

            "Why not?"

            "Because, Vegeta doesn't like anyone to talk about it. He'd hate me if I told you."

            "Listen, kid, if we ask you a question, you have to answer it."

            "I...I'm sorry...I can't." With that, Goku jumped out of the chair and ran out of the room.

            Dakotah was about to go after him, but Brianna stopped him. "No don't worry about him. We've got enough information for now. If that isn't enough, we can come back later. 


	22. Clue

Chapter 21- Clue

            "Well?" Johnson asked as Brianne and Dakotah walked into the office.

            After the other two detectives had left Capsule Corp., Johnson had conveniently avoided the questions that Dr. Briefs asked by saying that he had important business to attend to. 

            He had sat back at the office going over the more detailed list of injuries provided by Capsule Corp. for the few hours he had been waiting for his partners to return.

            "We talked to the principle and one of his friends, a boy named Goku Kakarott." Dakotah provided.

            "Only one?"

            "Only needed one. Besides, the principle, Kozaku, said that the boy, however popular he may be, did not have many friends. If the Kakarott kid couldn't tell us something, no one else would have known."

            "Hmph." Johnson acknowledged. "So what'd you find out?"

            "The kid's last name, 'Ouji' was his mother's last name. That's why we couldn't find anything on him. We couldn't get the father's last name, but we got the kid's birthday."

            "Well I guess that's good enough."

            "Oh and another thing." Brianna added. "We think the kid that the kid was almost killed before. Don't know when, or by who, or anything else about it though."

            "Why not?"

            "The kid we questioned wouldn't tell us."

            "What do you..."

            "Johnson! I got records on the house!" Detective Kyle strode in waving a folder in the air.

            Johnson turned to Brianna and Dakotah. "Go find the kid's real name." He said and turned back to Kyle.

            "Look. You might find this interesting." Kyle opened the folder, laid it on the desk and pointed to the paper inside. "The house hasn't been owned for over twelve years. Whoever was in that house had no authorization."

            "So..." Johnson waved his hand for Kyle to continue.

            "Wait that's not the best part. Thirteen years ago last Tuesday, there was a person murdered in that house."

            "And you think that has something to do with our case?"

            "We man that did it was never found. This could be some strange serial killer thing that pops up every thirteen years."

            "Highly unlikely. Though it could be possible. Who was the person that was killed?"

            "A woman. The man that killed her was apparently her husband. Her name was Rachelle Senovitz, but her maiden name was Ouji."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bulma dropped her books off in her room and went off toward her dad's office.

            Goku was supposed to come over later to visit Vegeta and she wanted to make sure it was okay for them to go in. 

            "Hi dad." She said as she entered the office.

            Dr. Briefs, who had previously been hunched over a microchip, looked up at her. "Oh hello dear. How was your day?"

            "Alright I guess. The whole school was talking about Vegeta and stuff. So.umm. How is he? Can we see him again?"

            "Oh he's doing better, dear. And yes, you can see him."

            "Okay daddy." Bulma kissed him on the cheek and walked happily out of the room.

            Since, they did nothing at school today, she didn't have homework. Therefore, she would be able to do whatever she wanted. And being that it was Friday, she had the whole weekend free. The football game had been cancelled due to the situation, too.

            Bulma walked to the Capsule Corp. front yard since she knew Goku would be arriving momentarily. Not even three minutes later, he pulled into her driveway and hopped out of the truck.

            "Hey Bulma." He said cheerily as usual despite the circumstances. "Can we see him again?"

            "Yeah. My dad said it was alright."

            "Good. But I gotta make it quick. I'm supposed to take ChiChi to some fancy restaurant and I have to get all dressed up."

            Bulma cocked an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, she said. "Well, come on then." and lead him into Capsule Corp.

            "Wow, Bulma!" Goku exclaimed as they walked into the med bay "When you said he was better, you weren't kidding around!"

            Bulma smiled, but for what reason, she wasn't sure.

            "Do you think he can hear us?" Goku asked. 

            "I doubt it, but you can talk to him anyway." Bulma said, and then figuring that he would have wanted to be alone went to the Capsule Corp. living room to watch TV.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Johnson!" Dakotah strode into his office. Johnson had been going over some information on another case about a gang fight, but looked up from the work.

            "You were right. We looked up the name 'Vegeta Senovitz' and came up with a shitload of stuff."

            "Such as?"

            "Thirteen years ago, the kid watched his mother be killed. His father was the one that killed her, and then he went after the kid. The father had tried to kill him too but somehow the he lived. The father was never found."

            "So it is entirely possible that it was the father that tried to kill the kid...again." Johnson stated more than asked.

            "Yes. The man's name is Thedrick Senovitz. Brianna is trying to find some information on him."

            "Don't get ahead of yourself. That might not be our guy."

            "What do you mean? He tried to kill him once, and we already know he's killed before, either way, he's gonna be seeing the inside of a cell for a long time."

            "Yes, I do agree that this is the man that tried to kill him before, but we don't know if that's the one that tried to kill him this time. There might be some other crazed murderer runnin' around on our streets. We have no evidence to tell us who exactly it was. Either way, the only person that can tell us is the kid."

            Dakotah sighed in exasperation. "Okay! We've already gone over this Johnson! The kid is half dead and floating in a fish tank!!!"

            "Dakotah calm down." Johnson ordered. "I talked to Dr. Briefs and he said that the kid will be out in two days. All we have to do is wait until he wakes up."

            "And do you know when that'll be?" Dokatah demanded but didn't give Johnson a chance to answer. "How do you know that _IF_ he even wakes up, that he'll talk to us? We can't make him tell us anything! You're putting too much faith in the kid, Johnson, and you know it!!!"

            Johnson sighed and put his faith in his hands. I know that, but what other choice do we have? We don't have any evidence to tell us who did it, even though we do know that his father tried it once. We don't have any witnesses either, so the kid's our only lead."

            "Guys!" Brianna said as she came into the office. "We might have a lead."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "So you said that you heard gunshots Tuesday around seven." Dakotah confirmed what the citizen had just told him.

            "How many?"

            "Only one...I think."

            "Why are you waiting so long to report this?" Johnson butt in.

            "Well gunfire is a usual occurrence around this part of town. I didn't think much of it until the people on the news said..."

            "Did you see anyone?" Johnson butt in again.

            "It was all dark, but I think I saw four people."

            "Can you tell us exactly what happened?"

            "Well I was watching TV and I heard the shot. Well, a gunfight is better than a soap any old day. So I ran to my window. It's that one up there." She pointed to an alley window on the third floor. "Well I looked down and there were these two guys that were holding this other guy. And..."

            "Can you show us how he was being held?"

            "Umm...Okay." She said and motioned for Johnson to kneel down on the ground. 

            Johnson rolled his eyes but obliged.

            "Okay. There was one guy on this side and another on this side. The one in the middle was just kind of hanging there. Anyway, they just stood there for a while and this other guy walked up from over there." She pointed. "Well he came and hit the guy in the middle across the head. Then the other two guys picked him up and threw him in the trunk of a car that was parked right over there. Then they drove off and I went back to watch TV."

            The detectives finished writing and looked up. "Well thank you for your time ma'am." Johnson said.

            "No problem." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sorry about the **_EXTREMELY_** long wait, but I was kinda busy. 'Kinda' being the key word here. Mostly I was just too lazy. But I DID sometimes have things to do.

Please R/R       


	23. News

Chapter 22- News

            Shadow was having a very nice time with two very lovely females. For the last two days, all he had done was spend some quality time with his women. After a particularly stressful job, such as the one he had just finished, usually he would 'relax' for a couple of days before he took on a new job.

            Now the job itself hadn't been that stressful, he did stuff like that all the time. It was the person he and his partner, Locke, had been working with. The man was insane. Sure he had been able to think of some very creative ways to torture a person- Shadow had been thinking of using some himself in the future- but doing that to your own son was a little over the limit. 

            But that was just his opinion.

            Completely forgetting about Rehtaf, Shadow went back to the task at hand. Just as he had asked his 'spare' woman to go get him a drink, Locke burst into the room waving a newspaper in his hand.

            "What do you want?!" Shadow yelled. "Can't you see I'm busy?!"

            "This is important." Locke said and threw the paper onto Shadow's bed.

            Sitting up, Shadow grabbed the paper wondering what was so important about it. "Since when do you read the newspaper?" He asked. 

            Locke chose to ignore the question and allowed Shadow to examine the paper. Not seeing anything, Shadow looked back up to Locke with a scowl. 

            "No..." Locke admonished and flipped a few pages. "Here." He pointed to an article.

            "Boy Hurt In Fire Expected To Recover." Shadow read aloud. He spared one more glance at Locke before he continued reading.

            __

_            The boy, now known to be Vegeta Ouji, was transferred to Capsule Corporation's medical center Thursday afternoon. He is receiving some very high tech treatment and is expected to recover fully in less than three months. _

_            A statement by a detective working on the case says that there is foul play suspected, but there is no evidence yet as to exactly who is responsible._

_            Furthermore, the case will..._

            Shadow, not even bothering to finish the article, balled up the newspaper and threw it across the room. "Get out." He ordered the girl in his bed and the one who had just walked back into the room. Both girls knew Shadow very well and knew also not to question him. Quietly, they both complied.

            After both of the women were gone, Shadow stood up and started slipping on his pants. "Does Rehtaf know about this?" He asked while zipping himself up.

            "I don't think so." Locke answered.

            Then we'd better tell him."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Goku was crashed. His date with ChiChi had not gone great, and they had stayed out past two. Goku, listening to one of his fellow football player's advice, had bought drinks not knowing that ChiChi didn't like alcohol. Of course, he could see no reason to waste them, and so he had drank them himself. Goku, however wasn't much of a drinker either, as he was so recently finding out. He hadn't really tried it before, but given the circumstances with his best friend, he figured it was as good a time as ever to waste his problems away.

            Unfortunately, he wasn't very good at holding his liquor and so had spent half the night throwing up. After about three hours or so in the bathroom of a club he was not supposed to be in, ChiChi finally drove him home.

            He was very thankful that it was Saturday- he would hate to go to school feeling like such a mess. He looked at the alarm clock on the side of his bed. 11:00. Still too early. He would visit Vegeta later. Pulling the covers over his head, he rolled over and went back to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Rehtaf was furious! He had just gotten a call from Shadow saying that Vegeta was still alive. At first, he thought it was some kind of joke, but Shadow swore that it wasn't. 

            Now, he was heading back towards West City as fast as his car would go. He was already a two-day's drive away from West City, but it didn't matter. Time was not a problem. After the condition he had put Vegeta in, there was no way he could defend himself even if he got there a year from now.

            Plus there was the fact that he wasn't in a real hospital. That gave him an advantage. At a real hospital, there were a lot of people who could see you. But at a place like Capsule Corp., he figured, all the workers would go home for the night, leaving Vegeta completely unprotected.

            Yes, this was just another setback. Vegeta _would _die.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Okay. So here's what we've got." Brianna lectured pointing to a dry-erase board that the detectives used. "Vegeta Senovitz, or Ouji if you want. Four years old. Father kills mother, tries to kill him. He lives, gets taken in by a foster family. Foster family divorces, kid gets sent to an orphanage. Later, his uncle claimed custody. All that happened in about a year."

            "Who's the uncle." Johnson asked. "If he's his legal guardian, why haven't we talked to him yet?"

            "The uncle's name was Zachary..." Brianna said and then flipped through the file for clarification. "Yeah...Zachary Taylor. He worked at a bar. Just what he did, isn't said though. A few years after he took Vegeta, he was shot and killed."

            "So he can't tell us anything." Dakotah said sardonically.

            "When you say a few years, how many are we talking?" Johnson asked.

            "Umm..." Brianna pulled the file she had found on Zachary earlier. "...eight or nine."

            "So that would have put Vegeta at...what? Thirteen?" Dakotah asked raising an eyebrow.

            Brianna nodded. "Seems that way."

            "Well, who took him after that?" Johnson asked.

            "Doesn't say." Brianna said after giving Vegeta's file another going over.

            "Does it really matter?" Dahotah asked bored.

            "Not right now it doesn't. But, if the kid doesn't wake up, we're going to need more info." Johnson said.

            "We already know his 'daddy' tried to kill him. What do we need more evidence for? Why can't we just stamp the man and throw him in the vault?" Dakotah asked, frustrated.

            "Because we don't know where he is!" Johnson yelled, earning a few turned heads within the office. "Yes we know his father tried to kill him before, but there is nothing linking him to this! And if our witness is correct, we are still down two suspects!"

            "Guys!" Brianna yelled breaking up their argument. "We still have more evidence to go over."

            Johnson and Dakotah both calmed down and turned back to the board. 

            "Okay." Brianna started. "The alley where the gunshots were heard is only a block away from Vegeta's apartment, and the gunshots were heard roughly three hours after he was last seen. There was only one person checked into the hospital that night with a gunshot wound, and that was entirely across town."

            "So there is little doubt that the person gunned down in the alley was our boy." Johnson stated more than asked.

            "Seems that way. But we can't be sure. The blood samples we found haven't come back form the lab yet." Brianna said.

            "What's taking them so long?" Johnson asked.

            "The blood we found was sitting in that alleyway for days. It was rained on and who knows what else. Besides, even if we had them, we don't have the kid's blood type so we can't very well match it."

            "Okay then." Johnson said before barking out his orders. "Dakotah and Brianna you two go check out that alley again. See if there is anything we missed. I'll go to Capsule Corp. and try to get a blood sample."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bulma was bored. She had just called ChiChi to ask her how the date went. She had had to stop herself from laughing when she got the details. ChiChi hadn't thought it was very funny, but despite that, had seemed even more obsessed with Goku. She'd even made him, some chicken soup to bring over to his apartment later. 

            Bulma thought they were a cute couple, and had sat there thinking about her own love life for a while. For the past few years, she had been pretty off and on with Yamcha. They were currently labeled as 'dating', but Bulma really wasn't sure if she still liked him in that manner. Yamcha would always be her friend, but Yamcha didn't seem as though he was the right boyfriend material. 

            Vegeta, on the other hand, seemed perfect. He was just like the 'knight in shining armor' that she had heard about in all those bedtime stories as a child. He was handsome too. Dark and mysterious. She liked that in a guy. 

            She briefly wondered if she was just crazing over him like all the other girls in school, or if she really liked him. 

            She was broken out of her thoughts when the doorbell rang. 

            "I GOT IT!" She yelled to her mother who was humming happily in the kitchen. 

            "Okay, dear." She called back, but followed her daughter toward the front door anyway.

            "Um...Hello." Bulma greeted the tall aging man in trench coat. "Can I help you?"

            "Yes. I'm..." The man started but was cut off by Mrs. Briefs.

            "Detective Johnson! How good it is to see you! Oh my, come in! Would you like some tea?"

            "Um...No thank you. I've actually come to ask a question of your husband. Is he in?"

            "Oh! Why yes he is. He's in his office. I'll go get him. Here." She grabbed his arm and led him toward the living room. "You just make yourself comfortable. Would you like some tea?" She asked again.

            Detective Johnson opened his mouth to answer but was cut off again.

            "How about cakes? I have honey cake."

            "No thanks. I ate already."

            "I'll go get you some then." Mrs. Briefs turned around ignoring his reply, and scurried into the kitchen. A minute later, she came back with the tea and cakes. "Alright. You just eat up, and I'll be right back with my husband."

             


	24. Blood

Chapter 23- Blood

            "So you want a blood sample, do you?" Dr. Briefs asked. "Well that may not be difficult, but I'll have to check."

            "Check on what?" Detective Johnson asked. He and Dr. Briefs were now in the med bay.

            "Hm?" Dr. Briefs blinked cluelessly before remembering their conversation. "Oh, yes. I'll have to check and see if the boy is stable enough for blood to be withdrawn."

            "You don't already have a sample?" 

            "No." Dr. Briefs said simply. "Everything was in such a... a hullaballoo when he came in, that we didn't have time."

            Dr. Briefs turned to the computer that operated the tank and pressed a few buttons. After studying a readout for a few minutes, he finally said. "Well, he is stable, but the only way to draw blood is to remove him from the regeneration tank. But once I do that, I won't be able to turn it back on."

            "What do you mean? It should still have a few hours left in it, right?"

            "Well yes. But if I would take him out I would have to shut the rank off, and turning it back on uses up more power than it has left. But like I said, he is stable. If it's really that important, I could take him out. I mean, he would only have until tomorrow at the latest in there."

            Johnson considered it for a moment, and finally said. "I'll have to check on that." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. After entering a number and waiting a few seconds, Brianna finally answered.

            Hello.

            "Hey. Brianna. It's Johnson. I need some advice."

            Uh-huh...

            "Well the only way I can get a blood sample is to take the kid out of the tank. But If I do that I can't put him back in. But on the other hand, he would have come out later today or tomorrow anyway."

            Well we've got the results back from the lab, so we're all waiting on you. I really don't see where a half a day is going to make any bit of a difference, I mean, he'd live if you took him out wouldn't he?

            "Yes. He's pretty stable."

            Well I say go ahead and take him out. The sooner we get the blood sample, the sooner we get the case cleared.

            "Alright. I'll do that." Johnson said and hung up the phone. Depositing it in his pocket, he turned to Dr. Briefs who was waiting patiently for the verdict. "Take him out." Johnson said simply.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Goku had finally managed to get himself out of bed. It was six o'clock in the evening now. Just minutes ago, Bulma had called and informed him that Vegeta was out of the tank. Goku, being terrible in math hadn't even noticed that it was too early. That is, until Bulma had informed him of that too. She was quick to add that he was, considering all circumstances, fine, however.

            Now he was driving toward Capsule Corp. He didn't know why he was going. Bulma had told him that Vegeta was still unconscious, and that he probably wouldn't be let into the room, but he still felt the need to be there.

            Finally, he arrived in the Capsule Corp. drive way. He quickly parked his truck and ran into the building. By now, he remembered how to get to the med bay. 

            After winding his way through the building for what seemed like forever, he finally found himself at the med wing. Immediately, Bulma came up to greet him.

            Although Bulma had been able to answer most of his questions over the phone, she hadn't had time to answer them all. Now Goku's flood of questions began.

            "Are you sure he's okay? Did anything happen? Why did they take him out? How long until he wakes up? Where is he? Can we see..."

            He was silenced by Bulma's hand covering his mouth. With her other hand, she grabbed his wrist and started leading him down the hall. "First of all," She started. "Nothing happened since five minutes ago when I last talked to you. Second, he's about as fine as he's gonna get right now. And, for your other question, they took him out supposedly because some detective needed a blood sample and they couldn't get it while he was in the tank."

            "Why didn't they just wait until the tank ran out of power?" Goku asked.

            "I don't know." Bulma said stopping and pointing to a window. "He's in there, and no we can't go in. The doctors are putting him under surveillance for at least twelve hours to see how he adjusts."

            Goku pressed his face against the glass much like a child would do when getting a first look at a new sibling. Vegeta was in a plain white room with a plain while metal bed and plain white sheets. The only things that added color to the room was the many machines, tubes, wires, and blinking lights, positioned around the room that seemed to swallow Vegeta up.

            "He looks so frail." Goku pointed out.

            Bulma didn't say anything although she agreed. There was really nothing to say. Both of them just stared into the room seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Goku spoke again.

            "So, uh..." He started, seemingly not sure whether or not he wanted to continue. Bulma turned to look up at him just as Goku resolved his inner conflict. "Do they know when he's going to wake up?"

            Bulma shook her head. "No. This is different from any other case. The doctors don't even know if he'll wake up...at all."

            It was Goku's turn to be silent while he took in all the news. Finally, he turned back to Bulma. "Well, I guess I'd better go. I'm supposed to call my grandpa. But if there's anything else that I can do...you know...to help..."

            Bulma shook her head. "Thanks Goku, you're really sweet. But everything's covered for now."

            Goku nodded his understanding. "Oh well then, I'd better be going."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

            Rehtaf was greeted at the door by Locke, who immediately stepped aside and let him in. He had just arrived back in West City, a half an hour ago. It had taken him considerably less time to get back to West city than it had leaving it because he had driven 40 MPH's faster on his return trip.

            Rehtaf glanced back over his shoulder just in time to see Locke cast a cautionary look out the doorway and then close it again. Rehtaf turned back and continued on to where he figured Shadow should be. Rehtaf had been to this place before, when they were planning the first attack on Vegeta.

            _An old abandoned something or other, in the most rundown part of town. How original._ He thought as he continued his trek up some stairs. He was actually surprised that the police hadn't found this place yet. It seemed like such an obvious hideout.

            Finally, he entered Shadow's 'office'. Shadow was waiting expectantly, sitting with his hands folded on the table. Rehtaf took a seat across from him without waiting for an invitation. Locke, who had followed Rehtaf into the room, stayed standing by the door.

            Shadow wordlessly slid a crumpled newspaper across the table and then pointed to a spot where Rehtaf should read. Rehtaf did so, although already knowing what he would find. While reading the fine print, however, he felt his blood boil. A thousand ways to kill Vegeta were swimming through his mind. Without delay, he picked one. The operation would be risky however, and although he really wanted to feel Vegeta's blood on his hands, he didn't want to risk getting arrested. That was what his two 'partners' were for.

            Rehtaf looked up from the paper and back to the expectant Shadow. 

            "I take it you have a plan." Shadow stated more than asked. 

            Rehtaf nodded.

            Locked moved from his position by the door to stand beside Shadow.

            Rehtaf looked from one man to the other to make sure he had their full attention before speaking. "Now listen up, I'm only going to tell you this once. This is going to be pretty risky, but fate is on our side. He's in a technology company that shuts down after ten o'clock. Therefore not many people are going to be up and about. We're going to wait until everyone's gone before we strike."

            "When?" Shadow asked.

            "Tonight."


	25. Intruder Alert

Chapter 24- Intruder Alert

            Caroline yawned as she walked down the hallway of the Capsule Corp. med-bay. She was a kind of short, pale, woman with dark brown eyes and the same color curly hair. She wasn't one for any physical activity and so she was a little plump. Her genius when it came to medicine and a great sense of humor more than made up for any shortcomings, however, and she was all the more respected for it. 

            She really wasn't use to this late-night stuff. Usually, the med bay shut down the same time that the rest of Capsule Corp. did- at ten o'clock. But whenever there was a patient staying overnight, someone had to be there to 'keep watch' on them. 

            And, unfortunately, tonight, that someone was her.

            She had been sitting in the monitoring room, that allowed her to check all of the vitals on her patient, so she didn't have to actually sit in the room with him. The monitors also kept track of all the security devices too. Which was why she was where she was now.

            A few minutes ago, one of the movement detectors alerted her that there was something seemingly wandering around the building. She wasn't too worried about it, though. It was probably just one of Dr. Briefs's many animals. They have been known to get locked in at night and wander around the building.

            Or it could be Herman Collins coming early to relieve her of her shift. She took her purse with her in case of that event.

            As she rounded a corner, however, she found that neither of her guesses were accurate. There was a man, not an animal and much too tall and built to be Herman Collins, coming down the hallway and looking into each room seemingly searching for something.

            She hurriedly jumped back around the corner so as not to be seen and started fumbling through her purse. The whole time, she was trying to think of who she knew that looked like that, or for any reasonable explanation why someone who didn't work at Capsule Corp. would be in it's med bay at twelve o' clock at night. She couldn't come up with either, but she did find what she had been searching for in her purse- her mace. Holding the hand with the mace a bit behind her, she stepped back around the corner.

            "...c..." She cleared her throat. "Can I help you?"

            What she could see of the man tensed up and he quickly pulled himself out of the doorway and into her plain view. He stood there stunned for a minute before pulling a walkie-talkie out of his belt and whispering something hurriedly into it.

            Caroline's eyes bulged as she caught sight of the huge hunting knife that was also slipped in his belt. Caroline felt herself walking backwards until her back was pressed up against the wall. As she watched the strange man put his hand on the knife, she willed her legs to run.

            The man didn't hesitate to take chase. The second she moved, so did he, and he was much faster. She could hear his boots hitting the tiled floor. The footfalls were getting closer by the second. Just as she was about to cut around the second corner the man grabbed her arm and spun her around.

            Caroline screamed and, shutting her already teary eyes, sprayed her mace- everywhere. Another scream accompanied Caroline's, this one more masculine.

            The man had let go of Caroline's arm and the knife, which went clattering to the floor.

            Caroline being so terrified, did not even attempt to grab the knife, but instead, turned again and fled down the hall.

            Finally, after running for what seemed an eternity to her, she realized that the man had not followed. Caroline stopped running and leaned against a wall to catch her breath. Her head was in confusion. The man had just tried to KILL her! But why? What had she done to him?

            She shook her head as if to clear it and started looking for something to help her. If the man wanted to murder her, a little spray in the face wasn't going to stop him.

            Spotting a fire alarm at the end of the hall way, relieved her a bit. As quick as her now tired muscles could take her, she made her way to the fire alarm and pulled it. The red flashing lights on the walls and the water spraying down from the ceiling and even the loud siren like beep, seemed like a gift from God. 

            Everyone that worked at Capsule Corp. knew that Police, Firefighters, and the works would arrive at the compound in less than three minutes if ever called.

            She savored the feeling of safeness, before realizing that she wasn't actually safe. With a sudden fear of being found again gripping at her stomach, she continued down the hall to where she knew the emergency stairs to be. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Damn it!" Locke cursed as the water from the sprinklers mixed with the mace in his eyes only making the situation worse. When the woman sprayed him, he had been taken by surprise and had let go of her. As he was now finding out, that had been a stupid thing to do.

            "Stupid woman ran off." He mumbled to himself while picking his knife up again. "Now what? Kill the kid? Or kill the woman? Decisions decisions." He thought about it for a bit and then figured it would be wiser to kill the woman. He would have to do it fast, however, because the cops were bound to show up sooner or later.

            "Now where did she go?" Locke looked down the hall to his left and then the one in front of him, realizing that none of it looked familiar. "And where am I?"

            He looked around for a second longer before figuring that just standing there was not going to help him any and decided to take the hall to the left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bulma was awoken by the loud siren that signified that a fire alarm had been pulled. Seeing that there was no water sprinkling from the ceiling, she concluded that the fire was not in this part of Capsule Corp. But how had anything caught on fire anyway? It was 12:18 in the middle of the night. No one worked after ten o'clock. No one should be here.

            Bulma was interrupted from her puzzlement by her father bursting through the door.

            "Come on dear. You know we're not supposed to stay inside of a building during a fire." He said.

            "But what's on fire daddy?"

            "I don't know sweetheart. But we can find out from the police once they get here. But we have to get out of the building. It's not safe."

            Bulma got out of her bed and followed her father into the hall. They were met by Mrs. Briefs who was tying her robe shut. "Dear." Mrs. Briefs addressed her husband. "What about our pets?"

            "Oh yes!" He exclaimed. "I almost forgot! Bulma, you go on outside. We'll gather up all of the animals and meet you."

            "But dad!" Bulma yelled. "Your stupid animals can't be that important! You can get new pets!"

            But neither of her parents had heard her for they had already scurried down the hallway.

            Bulma rolled her eyes at her parents' ridiculous love of animals, and figuring that since this part of the building wasn't actually on fire, started making her way outside.

            By the time she had gotten out of the Building, Firemen, police and ambulances were already in the front yard and going into the med wing of the building.

            Bulma's stomach dropped, but she figured that it would be best not to jump to conclusions. She stopped by one of the policemen and asked him what was on fire.

            "Nothing." The man replied.   

            "What do you mean?" Bulma asked. "Why are all you people here if there's no fire?"

            The policeman sighed and started to elaborate. "A nurse pulled the alarm." He said pointing over his shoulder to a nurse sitting in an ambulance. "Said there was a man trying to kill her."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Locke was completely lost. It seemed like he was walking in circles and he probably had been. 

            Suddenly, over the sound of the sirens, he heard someone running. Locke smiled a sadistic smile. _The woman._ He would get to kill her after all.

            He raised the knife up over his head and rounded the corner only to see a gun pointed square between his eyes.

            "FREEZE!!!" The man, obviously a cop yelled.

            Had it been only this one man, Locke might have been able to get away, but looking to the side of the cop, he saw two more, both with guns aimed at point blank range at his head.

            Locke let his knife fall to the floor and put his hands behind his head.

            This was it. His mission was failed. The game was over.


	26. Unsurprising Surprises

Chapter 25- Unsurprising Surprises

            "Guys!" Brianna yelled putting the phone down. "Police just caught a man at Capsule Corp. Said he was trying to kill a nurse. The man won't admit to anything, but they're bringing him here for questioning."

            "How long until he gets here?" Dakotah asked.

            "Well they've got to check him in at the station so I guess an hour or two."

            "Did they get a name?" Johnson asked.

            "No, but our computers can ID him."

            "Alright...Brianna, go check out the scene."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "DAMN!!! CAN"T YOU PEOPLE DO ANYTHING RIGHT?!!" Rehtaf yelled, turning off the news, which was replaying Locke being arrested and led into a cop car.

            Shadow didn't respond.

            "Now, they're going to double the security in the place and I'll never be able to get him!"

            Rehtaf paused for a while to let his anger ventilate. Shadow took this as his time to speak up. "Well." He started eying Rehtaf warily. "Locke was stupid, but even so, he won't talk. The cops will probably just think that he wanted to kill the woman or steal technology or something."

            Rehtaf scowled at him, breathing heavily, before exploding again. "FOOL! ARE YOU REALLY THAT STUPID?!" Shadow unconsciously took a step back from the crazed man. "Any child can see that an idiot like that would have no need for technology, and what the hell would he want the woman for? It's so obvious that he was going to kill Vegeta, that they won't even need a confession."

            "That's not necessarily true..." Shadow defended but was cut off by Rehtaf.

            "SHUT UP!! I don't need you to tell me what's true or not. You're just as incompetent as your little sidekick!" He fumed. He pulled a gun out of his belt. "I'll do this myself."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Okay." Dakotah said looking at a file laid across the table. "Louis Greydon Adems, alias, 'Locke'." He looked Locke in the eye before continuing. "Well I'm not a very patient man, so why don't you tell me what you were doing inside of Capsule Corporations with a very _large_ hunting knife."

            Locke just sat there, staring straight ahead.

            Dakotah waited a few minutes for him to speak and when he didn't looked over to Kyle for help. Kyle, noticed this and took over.

            "Well you're a pretty long shot from the Amazon" Kyle stated sarcastically. "What were you hunting? Nurses? Or maybe not. Maybe you had another prey in mind, huh? Were you aware that the boy that was attacked the other day happened to be in the Capsule Corp med wing?" 

            Locke didn't answer.

            "ANSWER ME!!!" Kyle slammed his hands on the table causing Locke to flinch. When Locke still didn't answer, Kyle strode around the table and leaned down to be close to Locke's ear. "Are you aware that we will find out anyway?" He said in mock secrecy. "That when we do, it will be much worse on you? Are you aware that if you don't answer me, I will add 'resisting authority' to the very long list of charges we have on you? Huh? ARE YOU?!"

            "Yes." Locke finally spoke.

            "Good." Dakotah said taking back over. "Now tell us, what were you doing in Capsule Corp."

            Locke just glared at him.

            Dakotah, trying desperately to hold onto what was left of his patience, tried a different route. "Were you trying to kill Vegeta?"

            Loocke still didn't answer. Kyle walked back around the table to stand by Dakotah and put his hand on his hip, conveniently moving his jacket aside just enough for Locke to see his pistol.

            Locke stiffened slightly at the unspoken threat. "You can't shoot me." 

            "I'm a cop. I'll say it was self defense. That you attacked me. I have a witness." Kyle indicated Dakotah who smirked. "Well?"

            Locke nodded.

            "Out loud." Dakotah ordered.

            "Yes." The reply was mumbled.

            "Why?" Dakotah asked leaning forward slightly. "Why did you want to kill him?"

            "I didn't."

            "Then what were you doing in..."

            "I was hired!!!"

            "By who?" Kyle spoke this time.

            "I don't' know his name. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

            Kyle tapped his finger on the pistol making a slight clinking noise.

            Locke stiffened again. "Called himself Rehtaf. Said he was the kid's dad."

            "Some dad." Dakotah mumbled before addressing Locke. "You were the ones that shot Vegeta in the alley, and then put him in the burning house." It wasn't a question.

            Locke hesitated before responding affirmatively.

            "A witness saw you in the alley. Said there were three attackers. Who was the third?" Kyle asked.

            Locke kept silent.

            "Why are you protecting him? If this guy cared at all about you, he wouldn't have let you get caught. Or he would have at least done something about it."

            "That's not true. There was nothing he could do."

            "Oh yes there was. There was and you know it. This guy's your partner. If you go down, he should too, right? It's only fair."

            Locke hesitated again before responding. "Shadow. And that's all I'm saying."

            Kyle looked at Dakotah and nodded. Both men left and allowed the other officers to 'escort' Locke out of the room 

            "Is that enough?" Dakotah asked Johnson who had been standing on the other side of the mirror. 

            "For now, yes." he said. "But we need to find out who this shadow person is. Dakotah, that'll be your job. Kyle, come with me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bulma had finally gotten to sleep what seemed like only a second ago. 

            Last night, she had wanted to go see Vegeta, but the police were still on the prowl making sure that there were not any more threats. Therefore she wasn't allowed into the med wing.

            There was really nothing else to do except to help her parents round up all their animals and bring them back into the house. She hadn't felt like doing that, and so had gone to bed.

            Now, it was ten o'clock. Her mother never let her sleep in. Yawning, Bulma sat up to watch her mom scurry out of the room. 

            Deciding that she'd get some breakfast and then go see how Vegeta was doing, she slipped on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

            When she got into the kitchen, she saw Goku already sitting at the table. "Hey Bulma!" He greeted through a mouthful of eggs. "I was waiting for you. Your dad said that we can go see Vegeta now. He told me about what happened last night. Isn't it great that they caught that guy? Anyways. Thanks for the breakfast Mrs. Briefs." Goku said standing up.

            "It was my pleasure dear. Come over any time."

            "Okay." Goku said excitedly. "Come on Bulma."

            Bulma was a bit confused by the whole ordeal, but shrugged it off, and led Goku out the room.

            "How's he doing?" Bulma asked a nurse, who had just walked out of Vegeta's room. 

            "Very well." He said. "He should be waking up anytime now."

            "Can we see him?" Goku asked.

            "Sure."

            Bulma and Goku stepped into the dimly lit room, immediately spotting Vegeta in the bed in the same position he was in the day before. The both walked up to the bed, one on either side, and stared at him for a while.

            "He does look better." Goku broke the silence.

            "Yeah." Bulma agreed. "  I hope he wakes up soon."

            "Oh he will, don't worry. Vegeta's the most stubborn guy I know. He's been like that ever since I've known him."

            "How so?"

            "Well…"

            Before they knew it, they were absorbed in conversation. 

            Over an hour passed, and they were now sitting in chairs that they had found, each in the very place they had been standing before. Both were so wrapped up in the stories, that they weren't worried about the time.

            "Oh! And then when he was twelve, he..." Goku stopped in mid sentence when he heard a slight groan. He looked down at Vegeta, to see his eyes scrunched tightly shut. Bulma looked down also. 

            A slight whimper emitted from Vegeta's mouth, and his head whipped weakly to the side. Goku grabbed Vegeta's hand and gave it a slight squeeze. He was relieved when Vegeta squeezed, although still weakly and somewhat shakily back. 

            Bulma leaned over Vegeta to wipe the sweat off his brow muttering comforting words to him. She looked around to find the nurse call. Spotting it, she hurriedly pressed it and then went back to comforting Vegeta.

            Vegeta's breaths were coming quickly and raspily now, and it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain. He kept thrashing his head from side to side and was weakly kicking his legs in an effort to get them free of the sheets.

            It wasn't until Goku started talking to him that he calmed down a bit. He was still breathing raspily, but he had stopped squirming.

            Bulma wondered what was taking the nurses so long.

            Just then two nurses ran into the room. Neither of the teens took notice however. They were still gazing intently at Vegeta and muttering comforts. 

            The nurses tried to push Bulma and Goku out of the room, but neither of them would budge. The nurses were becoming more persistent, now and were starting to yell. But, Bulma and Goku, were adamant that they were not leaving. Finally, the nurses relented and set to taking care of Vegeta. They gave him a shot with what must have been a pain killer, because about a minute later, Vegeta's face relaxed. The nurses checked the machines and wires and then left. 

Bulma and Goku were once again left alone with Vegeta. Once again, Goku started talking to him. He hadn't even finished his sentence when, with a groan, Vegeta's eyes fluttered open.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I FINALLY UPDATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	27. Awake

Chapter 26- Awake

            Vegeta squinted his eyes from, what was to him, a bright light. Slowly, his vision started to clear and he was met with the sight of two smiling, but somewhat tearful people. Vegeta didn't recognize the two people at first, but after a few seconds, the names came to him. Goku, his longtime 'friend', and Bulma a girl who he had just met.

            He didn't like that way he was lying down while they were above him. It made him feel helpless. He tried to sit up but Goku put a hand on his shoulder to hold him down.

            "Lie down, Vegeta. I'ts okay." Goku reassured him. 

            Vegeta allowed his eyes to wander from Goku to take in his surroundings, but after a brief inspection, he realized that he didn't recognize the place at all. Goku noticed Vegeta's expression and answered his unspoken question.

            "You're at Capsule Corp."

            Vegeta's head snapped back over to Goku a bit quicker than he would have liked, but he ignored the slight nausea the action had caused. 

            "Wuy?" He raspily whispered.

            Goku looked at him a bit bewildered by the question. "What do you..."

            But before Goku could finish, Bulma spoke up. "Don't you remember what happened?" She asked, but instead of waiting for Vegeta to answer, she continued. "The police found you in a burning house, and they brought you to the hospital. But the hospital couldn't do anything and only gave you a few hours to live. Then I called daddy and we brought you to Capsule Corp. because we have better equipment than the hospital does. And a whole bunch of other stuff happened but that's not important." She rambled waving her hands around the entire time.

            During Bulma's chronology, Vegeta's eyes had glazed over a bit, but he blinked a few times and then looked from one teen to the other. He was still more than a bit confused, but he decided he could figure out exactly what happened later. Just then a thought hit him. "Whahz dhe dae?"

            "It's Sunday, Septem..." Just then Dr. Briefs walked in Interrupting Goku.

            "Alright kids." He addressed Goku and Bulma. "The nurses just called. It's time to leave Vegeta alone."

            "But Daddy..." Bulma whined.

            "No buts. Let the boy rest. You can visit him tomorrow." He said all the while herding them out the door. When they were finally out, he turned back to Vegeta. "Well how are you feeling, my boy?"

            Vegeta halfway shrugged, wondering who this guy was.

            "So let's see. First, do you remember your name?" He asked while checking the machines surrounding Vegeta's bed.

            "Yezz."

            "Would you state it for me?"

            Vegeta was getting tired so he just figured he'd just do what the man said. "Vegedaa."

            "Good." Dr. Briefs said moving to check the IV's in Vegeta's arms. "How about what school you go to?" 

            A pause. "...unuon..."

            "Mhmm." Dr. Briefs said shining a light in Vegeta's eye. "okay. That's all for now. I will leave you alone and let you sleep." With that, he got up and left, making sure to dim the lights on the way out.

            Vegeta stared tiredly at the door for a while, still severely confused, but then decided to take the old man's advice and drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Have you found anything YET?!!" Johnson said exasperated.

            "Nothing since five hours ago when I found his birth records. Either he's hasn't killed many people or he's very crafty."

            "Come on, Kyle. There has got to be some description of this Shadow guy. I mean hair eyes, does he have horns, ANYTHING!!!"

            "Guys." Brianna said from across the room. "The lab called. The blood matches."

            "Well that doesn't help much! We already knew where they shot the kid. The guy admitted to it!" Kyle fumed from his desk.

            "And another thing." Brianna continued eyeing Kyle. "Briefs called also. The kid's awake, but they ask that we wait until tomorrow to question him."

            "Why?" Johnson asked.

            Brianna shrugged. "Tired I guess."

            "TIRED?!!" Kyle roared. "He's been sleeping for days!!!"

            "Shut up!" Johnson hissed and then turned to Brianna. "How much does he know?"

            "They didn't ask him much. I guess they don't want to stress him or something."

            Kyle hmphed but other than that kept quiet.

            The short lived silence was once again broken by a phone ringing. "Hello?" Brianna said. "Uh-huh...okay. We'll be there." She hung the phone up and scribbled down something on a paper, and, handing it to Johnson, she said. "Dakotah has a lead on Shadow." 

            "Okay." Johnson said. "Bring your guns. Let's go."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "It's really weird." Dakotah was praising himself. "It's like _Shadow and Locke_ are legends around here, but nobody knows who they are, where they came from, or where there hideout is. But then again, if you know what you're doing, it's pretty easy to locate people."

            "Yeah." Kyle said sarcastically. "That's why it only took **six hours** for you to do it."

            Dakotah decided to ignore his Kyle's comment, and continued to walk down the alley. When he got to a door though, he stopped. "Okay, according to my resources, this is where he should be."

            Everyone simultaneously pulled out their guns. Then Johnson, Kyle and Dakotah proceeded to kick the door down.

            "Could they have tried the doorknob?" Brianna mumbled following the three men as they hurled themselves into the building.

            The four detectives scanned the room as they entered it but saw no signs of life. 

            "You two take upstairs." Johnson indicated Kyle and Brianna. "We'll check down here."

            Nodding, the two groups split up and stalked toward their assigned places.

            Johnson and Dakotah walked into what must've been, or what used to be, a kitchen. Nothing seemed very out of place and they were about to move on to the next room when a small noise caught their attention. Both heads snapped toward the pantry. They listened carefully, but didn't hear the sound again. The men looked skeptically at one another but then moved silently toward the pantry.

            Dakotah readied his gun and then nodded to Johson who nodded back and then swung open the door. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Kyle and Brianna froze outside the door hearing a scream coming from downstairs. They briefly considered going check it out but then figured that the situation was under control.

            Giving each other ready glances, they both ran through the door pointing their guns in every direction. The detectives froze however, when they saw the sight that greeted them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "The other girls left when it happened. I had nowhere to go so I stayed here. Then when I heard the door break down, I thought he was back and hid in the pantry."

            "When what happened? You thought who was back?" Johnson asked.

            "He... He...I don't know his name. He did business with Shadow and Locke."

            "What business?"

            "The usual. Shadow and Locke will kill anyone if the price is right. We all assumed that he was just like the others, but he wasn't. He was crazy." 

            Dakotah muffled a snort. "Do you know where he went?"

            "No."

            "Well come on." Johnson sighed. "Let's go meet up with Brianna and Kyle."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Brianna and Kyle started slightly as Johnson, Kyle and a woman came into the room.

            "My God." Johnson said.

            The woman started to silently cry.

            Dakotah walked over and bent down. "This is him alright." He said as he examined the body. "It matches the descriptions perfectly."

            "Damn." Kyle hissed.

            "Kyle, call this in. You and Dakotah stay here. Brianna, you come with me." Johnson turned and walked out of the room, the woman and Brianna following him.

            Kyle and Dakotah watched them leave and then turned back to Shadow, who was lying lifeless on the floor in a pool of his own blood. 


	28. A Visit

Chapter 27- A Visit

Bulma awoke to an obnoxious voice bellowing on her radio/alarm clock. She yawned and dragged herself out of bed. She went over to her bathroom, took a quick shower, brushed her teeth and hair, got dressed in a blue jean skirt and flowery tank top and ran out of her room. If she hurried with her breakfast, she might have enough time to see Vegeta again. She had really wanted to see him again after her father had rushed her and Goku out the day before, but she had been forbidden to do so.

She didn't know why she was so obsessed with him. Maybe it was the way he looked so lost and confused and...scared. But she had felt a strange connection with him even before the 'accident'. She dismissed it again, however, figuring that it was the same thing that made all the other girls like him-a crush.

She reached the kitchen and sat down at the table. Mrs. Briefs was just finishing with the bacon. Bulma hurriedly shoved a biscuit, some eggs, and some bacon down her throat and washed it down with a glass of orange juice.

Kissing her mother goodbye, she grabbed her books and dashed out of the kitchen heading for the med wing.

She reached the room without opposition and knocked on the door. She got no answer. She opened the door a crack and peeked in. There Vegeta lay, sprawled out and seemingly comfortable. She would have liked to wake him, but she didn't have the heart. Instead, she slipped back out of the room and headed to school.

* * *

School was going pretty normally-- compared to Friday anyway. There were still people talking about what happened to Vegeta, but that was to be expected. No one really claims to know someone until they're either dead, in jail, or in the hospital. Then they were suddenly that person's best friend and will go into mourning and everything just to milk whatever bit of popularity they can from it. 

Bulma wasn't like that though; at least she didn't think she was. It wasn't her fault that Vegeta was at her house. Well maybe she had a little bit to do with it, but that's beside the point. She didn't really need popularity. She was beautiful, smart, had money, and a boyfriend...

Just as Bulma thought this, she rounded the corner to see Yamcha 'flirting' with the skankiest girl she had ever seen. Flirting didn't really describe the situation though. The little whore's back was to a locker and Yamcha was hovering over her. One of his hands was on the locker beside her head and the other just so happened to be up her shirt.

Bulma watched the scene with steam billowing out of her ears. Sure she and Yamcha had been off and on lately, but they were back together now, and he had no right to double cross her like that.

Bulma considered giving him a piece of her mind right in the middle of the hallway for everyone to see, but she dismissed the idea. She didn't have time to deal with him now. She would be tardy for her second hour class.

So, following her second impulse, Bulma stormed down the hallway, making sure to shove Yamcha as roughly as she could while passing him.

"Hey watch where you're...Bulma! Bulma wait! It's not what it looks like. I... I...she had a...a...a wrinkle in her shirt. I was helping her fix it! Bulma hold up!"

Bulma heard Yamcha's yelling but simply ignored him. She wasn't the least bit surprised when he followed her down the hall, in a sad attempt to get her to see the 'truth'. She drew the line, however when he tried to follow her into her classroom. She didn't even glance back at him and simply slammed the door in his face.

With her head held high, Bulma marched to her seat and got ready to learn.

* * *

"And see this, I brought you some clothes." Chuckie said holding a pair of Pajama pants and a T-shirt out to Vegeta. Vegeta looked at what he was wearing and then to the clothes in her hand. Deciding that he liked the ones Chuckie was giving him better, he took them from her. 

"Now." Chuckie said. "I suppose you'll need help with that."

"No. I can dress myself." Vegeta said, obviously more fluent since he had slept for so long. He was now sitting partially up, thanks a lot to the bed that raised to whatever position you'd like.

Chuckie smiled sarcastically at him, and Vegeta scowled back. "Okay then." She said plopping down in a chair and crossing her arms. "I'll just watch."

Vegeta detected the challenge and snorted. "Fine you do that." And just for good fun, he added. "But don't get any ideas. You're way too old for me."

Chuckie pretended to be shocked, as was usual in their game.

Vegeta struggled to untie the gown that he was dressed in. Silently cursing the doctors for putting it on him, he tried to slip his arm though the sleeve.

He didn't really know what he had done. He figured he'd bumped something the wrong way, because before he's even gotten his arm halfway through the sleeve, a sharp pain shot through his rib cage causing him to cry out and fling himself backward unto the still elevated bed. He rolled over as best he could onto his side and curled up into a ball, all the while hugging his chest tightly.

Chuckie was at his side in an instant. "Are you okay? Do you need me to call a nurse?" She asked frantically. She heard no answer besides his ragged breathing. "You'd better not be playing with me, because I won't appreciate it." Still he didn't answer. She put her hand on his side and rubbed it comfortingly. "Vegeta? Vegeta what's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing Chuckie." he mumbled, his pain having subsided greatly so he could think clearly again.

"What happened?" Chuckie asked him.

"Nothing." he said and shoved his face in the pillow, thus halting any more questions.

"Nothing?" Chuckie said under her breath. "Yes. Always nothing." Chuckie looked him over again. "Well come on now! If there is nothing wrong with you get up! Mrs. Briefs will be back any minute now and you..."

"I told you I'm not hungry! I told _her_ I'm not hungry! Why is she bringing me food?!" Came the muffled yell.

Chuckie had to work hard not to laugh, but even as she spoke a chuckle slipped through. "Because, you didn't want to be fed by a tube, we took it out, so now you have to _eat_. Now get up so I can dress you before Mrs. Briefs comes back or I'll let _her_ do it."

"You wouldn't." He turned back over to give her a mock glare.

Chuckie responded only by cocking an eyebrow.

"That's not funny Chuckie." He said defiantly, but sat up-as best he could, anyway. "But I suppose if it will please you so, then you may put my shirt on."

"Oh thank you sir. There is nothing in the world that I would ever want more." Chuckie said as she pulled off the gown and instructed him to put his arms up.

"I'm glad you're happy."

"You know your little girlfriend is really cute." Chuckie said offhandedly once she had finished.

"Huh?" Vegeta turned clueless while struggling to pull his pants up and stay sitting down at the same time.

"The blue haired one. This is her house, you know."

"Is it? Weird place to live. She's not my girlfriend, so you know."

"She seems to like you though."

"So. What's your..." Vegeta finally got the pants on correctly. "...point?"

"Ugh! You're impossible! Why do I bother?"

Vegeta just grunted as if to say 'I don't know either', rolled over, and tried to get comfortable again.

Chuckie, never was one to sit idly and be silent. "Well Mrs. Briefs ought to be back any time now. It doesn't take long to make chicken broth. Unless she had to go fetch the chicken." She chuckled and nudged Vegeta. "That was a joke."

"And it was a very funny one." He said sarcastically and pulled the blanket over his head.

"Well I thought so." She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

It was only about two minutes later that Mrs. Briefs walked in carrying a tray with a cup of water, two straws, and bowl of hot chicken broth on it. Chuckie, having tried to start up at least four conversations, all of which ended up being one-sided, was relieved that she had someone to talk to again.

"Hello dears!" Mrs. Briefs said cheerfully and set the tray on the bedside table (which was now relieved of a breathing regulator, since Vegeta insisted that he didn't need it). "Rise and shine!"

"I'm not hungry." Vegeta said from under the blanket.

"Sure you are!" Mrs. Briefs said just as cheerfully as before.

"No. I'm not."

"Come come, now, sit up." Mrs. Briefs said gently.

"Well you can either sit up or we can put the tube back in. Which do you rather?" Chuckie said and gave the blanket a tug pulling it completely off.

That got a half whiny growl.

Chuckie half pulled Vegeta back into a sitting position and propped a pillow behind him.

"I said I'm not hungry!" he snapped and crossed his arms like a stubborn child.

"Here you go!" Mrs. Briefs ignored him and presented him with a bowl of chicken broth with a straw in it. "Dig in!"

Vegeta looked between the two women. Seeing that they weren't going to leave him alone until he ate it, he plucked the straw out of the bowl and gulped it all down.

The two women, after Mrs. Briefs had received her empty bowl back, were quite satisfied that they had accomplished their goal. Thus, having nothing more to do, they started to converse- about everything and nothing.

It was only a few minutes after Vegeta had been not so happily fed that Chuckie noticed that he looked a little green.

"You okay baby?" She asked although she already knew what was wrong.

Vegeta only had time to shake his head slightly before he shoved his face into the garbage can that Chuckie had, fortunately, just grabbed. Mrs. Briefs hardly noticed and just kept on chattering.

After Vegeta's stomach was, again, empty, Chuckie presented him with the glass of water and ordered him to spit and then drink. He didn't complain.

Chuckie sighed, and pressed the button that lowered the bed until it was flat allowing Vegeta to lie down properly. "You see all that I do for you." she mock fussed.

Vegeta faintly smiled as she tucked him in for he found himself to be still a bit nauseous and too tired to answer.

Chuckie sighed and glanced at her watch. "Well I'd stay with you longer but Kami only knows what trouble old Garfield is getting himself into. I'd better to check on him."

"Oh you're leaving already?" Mrs. Briefs asked never losing her smile.

"Yeah I guess I'd better." She gave Vegeta a quick kiss on the forehead and picked up her purse. "You go to sleep...and don't do anything stupid. I'll try to come and see you tomorrow."

Vegeta rolled his eyes but nodded anyway.

"Maybe we can have a quick tea before you go." Mrs. Briefs offered to Chuckie.

"No thanks. I really have to be getting back."

"Oh. Well I'll walk you out then."

Chuckie gave Vegeta another quick kiss and a farewell and followed after Mrs. Briefs.

Vegeta, alone again, surveyed the room. It was furnished better than a hospital would be, but he still found it boring. He sighed and let his eyes drift to a spot on the ceiling. He never thought he would, bit he wished that he could go back to school. Anything would be better than this. He didn't necessarily miss the classes or his teachers, not really the students either. He missed football.

Football! He'd completely forgotten! His scholarship! He couldn't just sit around here and let his only chance at a future slip away! But he couldn't exactly walk either.

Or maybe he could.

With this thought in mind, Vegeta, although slowly and strugglingly, pulled himself into a sitting position. Taking a few shallow breaths, he waited for the pain in his ribs to ease.

_Alright now for the hard part._

After throwing the sheet to the foot of the bed, he slowly eased himself around the bars. As he set his feet on the floor, Chuckie's warning flashed through his mind:_don't do anything stupid._ Vegeta snorted audibly. _Stupid huh? I'll show her stupid._ He thought defiantly but a second thought popped into his head. _If only she could see this._

Vegeta shook his head only to regret it. He just sat there for a while, and waited for the room stopped swimming around. Finally, once his vision was right again, he slid himself all the way off the bed.

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW! They didn't tell me that my leg was broken! Damned doctors! Damned nurses! Damn his stupid father! That old fu...huh?_

Vegeta momentarily looked like a deer caught in the headlights as the door swung open, but quickly, his expression melted into a scowl. Dr. Briefs, a nurse, and some other guy stared at him for a moment before comprehension dawned and the first two rushed to him and started trying to drag him back into bed.

After all his hard work, however, Vegeta wasn't going without a fight. "No! Let go! Look I 'preciate it and all, but I can't stay here! I SAID LET GO! OW! STOP! Listen!"

The man by the door, after watching silently for a while, decided to step in.

Vegeta didn't notice his approach at all and continued to struggle against the Dr. Briefs and the nurse. It was a losing battle and he was tiring quickly.

Suddenly two hands, much stronger than the other people's, came from out of nowhere and hoisted him up like a rag doll.

"Don't be too rough." Dr. Briefs told his captor.

Vegeta was shocked for a second, but before he had time to panic, he was back on his bed staring into the face of the other man that had walked in with Dr. Briefs and the nurse.

Vegeta, for a rare instance in time, was at a loss for words. Who the hell was this guy? As if reading Vegeta's mind, the man decided to introduce himself.

"Detective Johnson." The man dubbed himself while flashing his badge. "I'm here to ask you a few questions."

* * *

Sorry Sorry Sorry about the wait. 


	29. Interrogate

Chapter 28- Interrogate

Vegeta was decidedly uncomfortable-and not just physically. At first, detective Johnson's questions had been basics: name, age, and such. The detective had even attempted to start a friendly conversation about football, most likely to get Vegeta to open up to him.

Of course Vegeta remembered the "accident", but he'd tried not to think about it. He hadn't even tried to take the bandages off of his chest to see if the mark was still there. Whether that was because he feared it would be he wouldn't admit- even to himself.

He wished the man would just leave him alone. Come to think of it, he wished everybody would just leave him alone. He just wanted to get on with his life and forget about everything.

Vegeta ceased his brooding when the detective pulled something out of his bag. "Do you recognize any of these people?" he asked showing Vegeta a paper with twelve men's pictures on it.

Vegeta looked at each picture in turn. None of the men looked particularly familiar at first glance, but one stood out from the rest. Vegeta stared at the picture for a few seconds, and then glanced up to the detective. Detective Johnson was studying Vegeta, and by the look on his face, Vegeta could clearly tell that he was not a patient man. Vegeta sighed and pointed to the picture of the man that he recognized.

"Are you sure?" The detective asked.

Vegeta nodded.

"Do you know his name?"

Vegeta thought about it for a minute.

"If you don't remember..."

"Shadow... I think."

The detective stared at him as if contemplating something. Finally, he turned and slipped the picture back into the bag and pulled out another one although he kept it turned downward. Looking back to Vegeta, he asked. "Did you ever see this man, Shadow, before the...accident."

Vegeta shook his head no.

"Alright then." He said scribbling something on his notebook. "Do you recognize any of these men?" He flipped the paper he had been holding over and handed it to Vegeta.

It was the same as the last one, except with different pictures. Vegeta looked it over, the same as he did last time, and pointed out the only man that he recognized.

"Locke." He stated before the detective could ask. "And no. I'd never seen him."

The detective just nodded and slipped that picture back into his bag, but didn't pull another one out. When he looked back to Vegeta, the boy could clearly see a look of dread plastered upon his face. The detective was silent for a moment and then sighed and started to speak. "Now...If you would, I would like you to tell me as much as you can about this whole incident."

Vegeta was a little taken aback. "Whah...what do you mean?"

"Well you can start by telling me if there is someone that may have a grudge against you."

Vegeta didn't speak. He didn't know why, but he just couldn't bring himself to say that it was his father that did it. He felt like if he did, he would be admitting that it was somehow his fault. He wanted to tell, though, to say everything. But he 't.

All this thinking was making his head hurt, and he was getting kind of sleepy. He yawned and then looked back over to the detective who had picked up the tape recorder and was currently checking that it was still running. Vegeta had thought it odd at the time that the detective needed Vegeta's permission to record their conversation, but he really didn't care either way.

The detective, satisfied with the recorder, placed it back onto the table and turned to Vegeta. Figuring that he's given Vegeta enough time to answer and seeing that the boy didn't plan to, he decided to help him along.

"Is there someone you may have offended? Have you ever bought something from a person you don't know? Did you ever sell something to someone you didn't know? Did..."

"Wait." Vegeta interrupted. "You mean like drugs. You think I'm some kind of punk that brought this on myself." They weren't questions. "I'm not some hoodlum or whatever you may call it. I said I don't know those people. I've never dealt drugs to them! I've never sold guns to them! I didn't rape their grandmothers! I said I don't know them and I don't!!"

"I can understand if you are emotionally unstable right now, and I'm sorry if I offended you. Those were routine questions that we must ask _everybody._"

"Everybody like me." Vegeta mumbled.

The detective heard the comment but decided to ignore it. "Well..." He started but Vegeta cut him off.

"Why are you asking me all these questions? Shouldn't you know these things? You're the detective. Why don't _you_ tell _me_ what happened?"

"That is against policy. Any information I disclose to you may affect your side of the story."

"Huh?"

The detective thought for a moment about how best to explain. "If I were to tell you something that we thought happened, but it really didn't, and you didn't remember either way, your side of the case would be influenced, or "contaminated" as we call it."

"Well, since I'm really tired and want to get this over with, why don't you tell me what you _know_ happened, and I'll fill in all the rest."

The detective considered this for a moment and then nodded. "You're a pretty smart kid." Vegeta just cocked an eyebrow and worked to stifle another yawn. "Okay, for starters, we've found that there were three people involved in the aggressive side of the incident..."

"Then why'd you just ask me about two of them?"

"Because it would made for a stronger case if you told us the identity of the third person."

"Hold on. Case? You mean like _court_?" Vegeta asked remembering his custody cases which had resulted in him being shipped around to orphanages and foster homes.

"Of course."

"I have to _testify_?" He whispered the last word.

"Well technically we can't force you, but the trial would go much quicker and easier if we would have a _credible_ witness. And who could be more credible than you?"

"What if I don't want to?" Vegeta ventured.

"Well like I said: we can't make you. But if you would, the government promises to overlook your current and past living conditions and your job." This perked Vegeta's attention. "Oh yes. We know you work at a bar, and we know that you've been living on your own for some time now. You do realize that both of these things are against the law since you are technically a minor, right? Not so much the fact that you live on your own but working in a bar under the age of twenty-one. Of course there is not much that we can do to _you_ for all that except to stain your 'permanent record' but your employers could be charged for illegal employment of a minor, and admitting a minor into their establishment." He said the last part with a smirk.

Vegeta just stared at him, his mouth moving but forming no words.

The detective held up a hand, as if to make sure that he stays silent. "But like I said earlier. We are willing to overlook that if _you_ are willing to cooperate."

Vegeta just stared at the man in front of him for a few moments. He felt completely trapped. Finally he looked away from the man, defeated and dejected. He considered the offer over and over, trying to find a way out of it. It didn't take long for him to realize that he couldn't. Sighing and telling himself that it wouldn't be so bad, he nodded in agreement.

---------------------------

He didn't dare go anywhere near Capsule Corp. That would just be suicidal. Instead, he would wait; let things cool down a bit. He had waited for years, why would a few more days make a difference.

The task would be done.

No one else was competent enough for the job he had come to realize. He would have to do it on his own. But now was too soon.

_Was it?_

He needn't worry, he knew.

The boy was stupid.

_Weak._

That would be his downfall. Things would work out.

_Most definitely._

He would just have to be alert. Be ready.

_Always._

It would be over soon enough.

_Soon enough._

He would rid the world of that boy and things would be right again.

_Right Again._


	30. Planning

Chapter 29- Planning

Dropping her book sack on her bed, Bulma stretched and rolled her shoulders to relieve them of the tension all the heavy books had caused. Sighing, she took her shoes off and let her hair down to get more comfortable.

It had been a long day, and she had tons of homework. Mr. Kozaku had called her into his office to ask her if she could bring Vegeta's work to him. They had talked a bit about how he was doing and Mr. Kozaku had told her about Vegeta's scholarship and how he couldn't afford to miss too much work. The meeting had resulted in her missing half of Trigonometry and so he had to catch up on all everything she had missed in order to not be lost the next day.

Along with being Vegeta's 'homework bringer', she was now his official tutor- as suggested by Mr. Kozaku. She chuckled a bit as she pulled her Trigonometry text book out of her bag, but then thought again, and shoved it back in.

She turned and looked at herself in the mirror, and after messing with her hair a little, grabbed the bag, stumbled a bit forgetting how heavy it was, and darted out the door.

* * *

Detective Johnson had departed a few hours before, leaving Vegeta to rest, relax, and be bored. They hadn't talked about much since it had been established that Vegeta would, in fact testify in court. The detective had sensed how nervous Vegeta had been about the whole idea and had ceased with the questions about the 'incident' and instead settled to tell Vegeta exactly what he should expect.

Vegeta's fears had subsided a bit as the detective told him that Vegeta's living conditions were irrelevant to the case, and thus would probably be excluded. The detective had also informed him that there would be no contact between Vegeta and his 'harassers' unless Vegeta permitted it.

They had talked a while about what would be asked, and how he should answer, but the detective had gotten a phone call, seemingly urgent to Vegeta although he could only hear one side of the conversation, and the detective had taken his leave promising to come back some other day to finish the questioning and discuss the court matters.

Only after the detective had left, had Vegeta realized that he hadn't asked whether his father and the other two men had been caught or not. He mentally slapped himself for that, reminding himself that that was the first thing he should have done. But then, realizing that there was nothing he could do and that it would be useless to brood about it, he decided...to brood about it.

Eventually, his brooding gave way to sleeping and he settled into a light rest.

* * *

That was how exactly Bulma found him - sprawled out like before, although in a different position. Wondering how a person could sleep so much, she let a disappointed sigh escape her lips.

She wasn't expecting Vegeta to dart up at the noise, but that's what he did.

"Oh." Bulma said. "You are awake."

"Well I am now." Vegeta replied grumpily as his vision swam into focus, cursing himself the whole time for moving so fast.

Bulma cocked an eyebrow at his response. "Good." She said walking toward him. "I brought you your homework."

Now it was Vegeta's turn to cock an eyebrow which he did and nothing more.

Bulma set her book sack on the table next to his bed and started rummaging through it. "Mr. Kozaku said that you can't let your grades slip if you're hoping to get that scholarship, so he asked me if I could bring you your homework and help you out with it. When are you coming back to school?"

Vegeta just looked at her oddly and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well I'll ask daddy later." She pulled out a stack of books and papers and plopped them onto the bed beside Vegeta. Sitting down in the chair that the detective had so recently vacated, she snatched the paper from the top of the stack and skimmed over it. "Okay." She started. "You've got two essays to do for Mr. Dilloir. The topics are somewhere in the stack. You've got another report for French, on...uh...Jacques Cousteau or something...Then you have Trigonometry, and I can help you with that because I take it too. You missed a test in history and Chemistry...and...that's it for now."

Vegeta eyed the big stack of books with a scowl but didn't say anything.

"Well." Bulma pulled out her own Trigonometry book and opened it to the assigned page. "Let's get to work."

Vegeta sighed, figuring that at least he had something to do now. He found himself not really dreading having to work with this girl, but he couldn't figure out why. He hated tutors and all people who wanted to 'help' him. He didn't need any help, especially from a loud person like her. He guessed he didn't mind it all that much because he was so bored. He was only human after all, and one can only get so much entertainment from staring at a ceiling all day. Having her around might not be all that bad.

He grabbed his textbook, flipped to the page Bulma was on, and looked at her expectantly.

"What?" She asked innocently.

He scowled in annoyance, figuring that he may have, in fact judged the situation wrong. "Teach me somethin'!" He snapped.

"Oh!" She exclaimed with a slight blush covering her cheeks but she quickly covered it up and glared at him. "You don't have to yell! I was just...just...never mind." She rolled her eyes and looked down to her book. "We might have to go a few lessons back since you missed them and will probably be lost."

"Whatever." Vegeta mumbled.

"Are you hungry?" Bulma asked him while trying to find a good place to start to get him caught up.

Vegeta looked dumbfounded at the sudden change in topic, but answered her anyway. "No."

Bulma looked back up at him briefly and then back to the book. "Well this is as good a place as ever to start." Bulma then began to explain the lesson, of which Vegeta was obviously not interested. "...so if they are the same distance from each other, how far are they from the building?"

"Forty feet?" He answered boredly.

Bulma worked the problem out on her paper. "That's...right." She said, somewhat astonished that he had solved the problem so fast. "Well you've got that, so let's move on."

"This is boring." Vegeta grumbled.

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Well what would you prefer to do?"

"Watch TV."

Bulma looked around the room. "There is no TV in here."

"I know."

"Well what do you do all day?"

"Nothing." Vegeta said as he flopped backwards on the bed.

"So you just sit in here bored all day?"

"Pretty much."

Bulma thought about a solution to the problem and suddenly one struck her. "Would you want a different room? One in the main building? With a TV?" She looked about the room they were sitting in. "One without an observation window?" She said with a giggle.

Vegeta thought about her offer. It actually sounded tolerable. Anything would be better than the room he was in. But then another thought struck him. "That would defeat the entire purpose of me being here."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I am at Capsule Corp. because of the medicine...or something to that extent. So if I were to go somewhere outside of the Med-wing, there would be no point in me being at Capsule Corp. at all. They might as well let me go home."

"Hm..." Bulma thought a bit. "Well...we could give you a room next to mine, put a few machines in there 'just in case' and say that it's an experiment to see if you are ready to leave."

"An experiment?"

Bulma nodded, with a smirk. "Sure. We will 'evaluate your progress' for...oh say...a week? And then if you 'pass' you can go back home."

Vegeta couldn't believe that he was actually considering this. The idea was positively stupid, but then again, he would do anything to get out of this room. "Okay." He said kind of tentatively. "But how will you get the staff people to agree?"

"You just leave that to me."

* * *

"_Please_ daddy!" Bulma begged.

"Bulma." Her father said trying to be patient with her. "You can't just move him about like that. What if something goes wrong? He could die."

"That's why I said to put some monitoring machines in the room. If something happens we can be there in a few seconds. Probably quicker than we could if he were in the med wind."

"I guess, that is true." Mr. Briefs said giving in a bit. "But we can't have him scattered allabout at the other side of the house."

Bulma was nodding.

"So we'll just give him a room next to ours."

Bulma's head shot up. "What? Why there. I thought we should put him next to my room."

"Why?" Mr. Briefs squinted uncharacteristically at his only daughter. "What are you planning?"

"DADDY!" Bulma yelled in defence.

"Now dear." Mrs. Briefs started in. "Bulma's room is much closer to the living room and the kitchen than ours is. Perhaps she's right. They're only friends. And he's such a respectful young man, too." As Mrs. Briefs went on about Vegeta's respectful qualities, Bulma commended herself on asking her mother to help with the persuasion. Mrs. Briefs might not look too smart but she was very useful when it came to persuading Mr. Briefs about something.

"Alright." Mr. Briefs said. "He can stay next to your room. But he will stay in the medical wing tonight so that he can be monitored more."

Bulma needed no more to be said, and instantly ran off to tell Vegeta the good news.

"Oh goody." Mrs. Briefs cheered, her enthusiasm equal to Bulma's. "I'll go start getting the room ready."


	31. Thank Ya

Chapter 30- Thank Ya 

Goku yawned in his seat in the back of the classroom. His attention rested solely on the clock as he waited for the bell to ring. He was never any good in history, mostly due to the fact that he found it absolutely boring.

Most people didn't take a history class their senior year because only three courses of it were required to graduate. He'd failed this class the year before, which was the reason he was there. The way things were going, it looked like he'd fail it again.

He'd long ago lost interest in the teacher's droning. Because this was the last class he took before he went to lunch, his difficulty in paying attention was multiplied tenfold, and the fact that he was dead tired wasn't helping the issue.

The football team had upped the practice schedule with a renewed vigor of getting into the playoffs. They'd stayed late at football practice, running laps and lifting weights, and immediately after that, he'd gone home, taken a shower, and headed over to ChiChi's house for some help with his homework.

Mr. Kozaku had announced Monday morning that the students would be required to wear uniforms the following Monday. Goku had intended to get one after practice, but had forgotten, only to remember when he'd gotten home again at 11 o'clock. He'd definitely have to go get one sometime during the week; they'd probably be sold out by the weekend.

He also wanted to see Vegeta and check up on how he was doing, but he doubted, with his tight schedule, that he'd ever get around to it.

Goku snapped out of his musings and bolted out of his chair when he heard the bell. He was usually one of the first people to exit the class, meaning that he was out before the bell stopped ringing. Like usual, he didn't take the time to listen for the homework assignment. He'd ask someone later.

Right now, he had to get to the courtyard and place his lunch order.

As Goku approached the group in their usual spot, ChiChi spotted him and immediately rushed over. "Goku, can you go get lunch today?" She pleaded.

"Uh. But isn't it Yamcha's turn?" Goku asked.

Not missing the glare that Bulma sent him, he turned to ChiChi questioningly.

"I'll tell you later." ChiChi said, pulling him away from everyone and placed a paper and a small stack of money in his hand. "Please. Could you?"

"Um. Sure." Goku then smiled at everyone and headed to his truck.

ChiChi watched as he left, and then sat down beside Bulma. "You know, he doesn't know about you and..." ChiChi stopped when she noticed Bulma scowling at her and decided to change the subject. "So...uh...how's Vegeta?"

"He's fine." Bulma said, her mood brightening a little. "He's staying in the house, now, or at least he should be. I think they're moving him today."

"When's he coming back to school?"

"I don't know. I'm tutoring him until he does."

"Really?" ChiChi asked, and idea forming. "I'm helping Goku, too. We ought to get together and have a study group."

"That's a great idea Chi! How's tonight sound?"

"Fine with me." ChiChi said and then turned to Krilling and Juuachi. "What about you two?"

"I don't see why not."

"Sounds cool."

Vegeta looked away from the boxing match he was watching as Mrs. Briefs entered the room. After having been checked and tested and checked again, he had been relocated to his new room. This one was much better. He had his own bathroom, a TV, a radio, and even a balcony. Mr. Briefs had even promised to bring him a Playstation as soon as he could locate one. These people obviously had money.

"Hello dear." Mrs. Briefs greeted and then deposited a tailor bag on the foot of his bed.

Vegeta, with uncharacteristic politeness, muted the TV, although he wondered if he would regret doing so.

She smiled at him as she unzipped the bag. "Bulma told me yesterday that she would need a uniform, and then I figured that you would need one too, being that you went to the same school. I went to town today and while I was shopping, I thought, 'wouldn't it be a great surprise if I bought their uniforms today?' So I did."

Vegeta stared at the woman, less than enthused, and didn't say anyting.

"Isn't it adorable!" She squealed holding up the uniform she had bought. Blue slacks, a white dress shirt, a maroon tie, and a black dress jacket with Union High's insignia on the left were proudly presented.

Vegeta froze, horrified, in his position sitting against the headboard. He'd known they would have to wear uniforms, he'd probably been the first one told, but he didn't think they'd be this...this...he couldn't begin to explain it.

"I only bought one, because I didn't know if it would fit. After you try it on, I'll go get a few more."

Vegeta stared at her as she started pulling the jacket off the hanger. "You mean now?" He asked sceptically.

"Of course dear. Oh I can't wait to see it on you."

Vegeta reluctantly and rather painfully drug himself off the bed and picked up the shirt. Seeing no reason to undress, he put it on and over the shirt he was wearing and buttoned it up. He did the same thing with the pants and then the jacket, although he left it unbuttoned. He looped the belt and fastened it and then grabbed the tie. Having never worn one, he had no idea how to put it on. He examined it thoroughly, even flipping it over as though there might be directions on the other side. Finally, he gave up and looked to Mrs. Briefs.

Still smiling, she took the tie from him, skillfully tied it and then backed up to get a better view.

"Oh!" She squealed causing Vegeta to grimace as he was buttoning his jacket. "You are as cute as a button! Walk around a bit. Turn."

Vegeta did as he was told although rather stiffly. "The pants are too loose. And so's the belt."

Mrs. Briefs came over and started tugging on the waist of his pants as if to validate his claim.

"Well they are a bit loose, but you'll just have to eat a little bit. That ought to make them fit right."

The man known as Rehtaf had come to the conclusion that staying in West City would be too dangerous for him. Police seemed to be prowling the city-- looking for him probably. These people obviously did not grasp the magnitude of what he was trying to accomplish. They saw what he was doing as something bad. But they'd come to their senses sooner or later.

Until they did, however, Rehtaf would keep his distance.

Rehtaf tossed the used cigarette stub onto the floor of his car, stubbed it out, and immediately lit another one. There was no doubt in his mind that that loser, what's his name, had sold him out. As such, he hadn't even tried to get a hotel room, but instead had driven forty miles out of the city where he was sure no one would find him--amazing how such a huge city was in the middle of nowhere.

He'd been sitting there for five hours already and had no intention of leaving any time soon. Hardly listening to the radio, he fiddled with his gun, loading and unloading, tossing and catching bullets. It was starting to get dark and, being that he was in the middle of a desert, cold.

He pressed the button for the heater to come on, but nothing happened. Grumbling about everything being broken, he gave the heater a pew punches and one kick. He stared at it for a few minutes to see if anything would come of his gentle coaxing. When nothing did, he turned around and started to rummage through his back seat for something to keep him warm. After a while of sifting through coke cans, food wrappers and who knew what else, he climbed into the back seat, opened the door, and started tossing everything that he considered garbage onto the road.

Finally, he found a jacket. He'd unearthed an unopened whisky too. His mood a little better, he got out of the car, and kicking all of the trash out of the way, slammed the door. He pulled his jacket on and leaned against the car. He was trying to decide whether to open the whiskey now or leave it out and let it cool off when he noticed some headlights in the distance.

He didn't think it would be any cops. They were heading to the city, not away from it. It never hurt to be cautious though.

Opening the front car door, he gently put his whiskey in the passenger's seat, and picked up his gun. After checking to make sure it was loaded, he put it into his jacket pocket and leaned back against the car and waited for whoever was coming.

After a few minutes, he saw that it was nothing but a delivery truck.

"Hey, buddy." The man in the truck called as he slowed to a stop. "Ya havin' car troubles?"

Rehtaf just shrugged.

"Well I'd like ta help ya, but 'm tryin' ta get this stuff to town a'fore sunset."

"I don't guess you're going to make it."

"P'rhaps not. But 'm gonna try any'ay."

Rehtaf didn't respond.

The man sighed. "Well look. 'M a purty nice guy, but I can't do nothin' much. What I can do, though, is call in f'r a truck ta come pick y'up. I'll tell

em wher' yer at 'n stuff. Wha's yer name, bud?" The man had already pulled out a his radio and was about to talk when Rehtaf stopped him.

The truck driver just looked at him suspiciously, but put the radio back on the clip.

Rehtaf slowly pulled the gun out of his pocket, making sure it was out of sight.

"Well." The driver said. "Liken I told ya, I gotta make this here delivery, so I'll just be right on my way."

Rehtaf knew that he'd better decide quick if he was going to kill this man or not. On one hand the driver might not suspect a thing. On the other hand, he did, and he would report it the second he drove off.

"Well I wish ya the best a luck mister." The man reached over to put the truck in drive and then turned back with a friendly wave but froze.

He didn't even have time to scream as his brains were splattered over the inside of the truck.

Rehtaf stepped back and returned the gun to his pocket. He looked around to make that no one was near to witness what had just happened. All clear. He turned and headed back to his car, idly flicking some yellow slimey stuff off of his shoulder.

He didn't bother to hide the truck or even turn the engine off. This could work to his advantage it he moved quick enough.

Easing back into his car, he revved the engine and drove off down the road.

ChiChi and Goku were in Goku's truck. After practice ended, Goku had gone home, taken a shower, and then went to pick ChiChi up to head to their study group.

"So...what was wrong with Bulma today at lunch?" Goku asked looking over to ChiChi for a second before setting his eyes back on the road.

"She broke up with Yamcha yesterday."

Goku waited a few seconds for the rest of the story, but it didn't come. "And...that's it?"

"Is that it? They've been going out since grade school and she caught him yesterday all over some other girl! That's a big thing Goku. You could be a little more simpathetic."

"Well I...Uh...Sorry ChiChi."

ChiChi studied his dejected profile for a moment. "It's alright."

Vegeta hadn't exactly understood the idea of the 'study group.' From the name, he had guessed that they might study, but Bulma had had a different idea. She'd insisted that they get all their homework done before eight, when everyone would arrive. When he'd asked why, she just shrugged, smiled, and told him to keep working.

Now, he figured that he was starting to understand what was going on, even if he didn't understand why they called it 'studying.'

"Pass the popcorn Krillin." Goku said from his place on the foot of the bed.

Krillin slid the bowl closer to Goku, though he still kept it within reach, making sure not to upset the card game. "We're almost out. Someone's going to have to go make some more." They both looked away from their card game toward the three girls who were sitting on the floor gossiping over magazines.

ChiChi had probably been the only one who had come to the group with the hope of studying, but since she had already done her homework, she hadn't minded the change in her plans all that much. She had made Goku finish his work before joining in the fun, however.

"What are you looking at us for?" Bulma snapped noticing their staring.

"We need some popcorn." Goku said.

"And it's your house." Krillin added.

"Goku knows where the kitchen is." Bulma said and then turned back to her conversation.

"Ah well." Goku said as he pushed himself off the bed. "You guys want anything else." He looked to Krillin who shook his head and then to Vegeta. "Geta?"

"Vegeta can't eat solid food." Bulma piped in before he could respond.

Vegeta sat silently like he had for most of the night. He hardly knew most of these people and the music was giving him a headache. It beat being bored though, so he tried to make the best of it.

"Oh yeah." Goku said putting a hand behind his head. "I forgot."

As Goku scurried out of the room, Bulma stole a glance at Vegeta. She didn't miss how tired he looked, but she figured he always looked tired.

"Bulma." ChiChi said pointing to a picture in a magazine. "How about him? 1 to 10."

Bulma pushed away all her worries and turned back to ChiChi with a smile. "Uh. He's a 10."

Chichi stole a glance over to Vegeta and then looked back to Bulma. She had noticed how Bulma had been looking at him. An idea suddenly came to her—one that would be a perfect way to get Bulma's mind off the whole Yamcha thing. She'd tell Juuachi about it later.


	32. Plan Revealed

>This is talking over the phone.

* * *

Chapter 31-Plan Revealed

"Goku."

"Hm?" Goku grunted, being too exhausted from football practice to do much else.

"Do you...um...think Vegeta might be...um...lonely?"

"Uh..."

"Well I do."

"Uh-huh"

"And I've been thinking."

"Mmn"

"Goku pay attention."

"Uh-huh."

"Goku!" Chichi said grabbing the remote and turning the TV off.

"Hey! I was watching that." Goku pouted.

"What's more important? Me? Or the TV?"

"Well...uh...you."

"Good. Did you hear anything I said just now?"

"Yeah. I was listening."

"Okay then what did I say."

"Well it was a...a pretty long...um...conversation."

"Goku! I think Vegeta needs a girlfriend."

"But ChiChi! I thought we..."

"No Goku." She cut him off. "Not me. I mean Bulma."

"Oh...But why? He seems just fine to me all things considered. Besides there's not much he could do right now even if he had a girlfriend."

"But could you at least talk to him? Please? For me?"

"Wait you want _me_ to..."

"Please?"

"But this was your idea."

"Goku..." ChiChi breathed leaning toward him.

"Huh...?" Goku, not really knowing how to respond, sunk deeper into the couch.

"I'll make it up to you."

"Well...okay. But I get to pick what we do."

ChiChi gave him an odd look, but hesitantly nodded.

Goku beamed. "Great! Grandpa will love you! I'll call him right now to tell him we're coming!"

"Wait what? Who said anything about your grandpa?"

"What do you mean? You said I could decide what we would do, and I decided that we would go visit my grandpa. It'll be great!"

"Uh okay. But when would we go?"

"Next weekend. It's not far so don't worry. And we'll just stay Friday and Saturday night and come back Sunday evening."

"Uh...okay. So you talk to Vegeta, and make sure that he is going out with Bulma by Friday."

"Sure...but why Bulma again."

"Why not?"

"Oh no no! That's not what I meant! I was just wondering. Heh heh. Right. So Bulma and Vegeta by Friday. Got it."

"Great!" ChiChi squealed jumping off the couch. "Thanks Goku! I'll handle Bulma so don't worry about her. Bye!" ChiChi gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then skittered out of Goku's apartment.

* * *

"The guy was found this morning around 4 AM. One shot to the head close range. They sent his body to the lab, but the rest of this stuff is pretty much the way it was found." 

"What does this have to do with our case?" Brianna asked looking at all the other police swarming the truck.

"The bullet found in this guy matches the one they found in Shadow."

"You think our guy skipped town?"

"That's what it looks like."

"So do we put out an all alert?"

"It would be wise."

"Is this all that you brought me here for?"

"No." Dakotah said swinging his flashlight beam to the other side of the road and motioning Brianna to follow him there. "There's also a pile of junk over here. Our man may have left it."

"Why?"

"I don't know. But it would be a good thing to check out. If it was in fact his, there may be some hint of where he's going."

"What's to say that he didn't just come out here, kill the guy, and then head back in to West City? Let's not rule that out."

"He could have I guess, but I doubt it. Why come so far?"

"We have to remember that this may not even be the guy we're looking for."

"Another random murderer?"

"I'm just saying...wait. What's this?"

"An article, probably from the internet."

"No I mean, look at it."

"I am. What about it?"

Brianna giving an exasperated sigh, dug into her pocket and pulled out her own small flashlight. Shining the flashlight to where she wanted Dakotah to read she explained. "The headline. It's from five months ago. It's about the schools merging and the football coaches' reactions. Apparently they didn't like the idea of having to put two football teams together, and parents were worrying that many boys would be cut. The coaches from Carver considered making the football players buy their own uniforms and supplies to try and weed some of them out, but many people argued that some of the boys have to work for themselves and that football is..."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Dakotah snapped.

"There are pictures of some of the football players. Vegeta is right there. See circled." "You think that, if indeed this is his, he may have used this newspaper to figure out where Vegeta is?"

"I don't know. The method this guy uses...it seems so precalculated. He can't have just decided one day to kill his son-- who he hadn't seen in years I might add. Maybe he'd forgotten all about him and remembered once he'd seen the article."

"Oh and it just appeared on his screen like a pop-up? He was obviously keeping tabs on him. What he probably did was run a search for him on the internet and then once he saw that the biggest issue in the boy's life was the football team, decided that then was the perfect time to strike and catch him completely off guard."

"So why come five months later?"

"I don't know. He probably needed time to prepare."

"This isn't getting us anywhere. We're just speculating. For all we know, this might be an article from some girl who has a crush on him."

"Yeah. I know 'Find evidence, then draw conclusions'. Keep the article though."

"I will." Brianna said putting it into an airtight bag specially made for crime scene evidence. Without another word, they continued to sift through the pile of junk.

* * *

"Hey Juu, it's ChiChi." ChiChi could hear Juuachi's radio turn down a bit before she got a response. 

>"Hey Chi. Did you talk to him?"

"Yeah." ChiChi answered while comparing a jar of nail polish to the color of her purse. "And he said he'd do it! Isn't he great! Oh. And by the way, I'm going visit his grandpa next weekend."

>"Why?" ChiChi heard the radio turn completely off as Juuachi got more interested in the conversation.

"It was part of our deal." She said offhandedly, putting another jar of polish back into the box. "But enough about that, we have to talk to Bulma, and then figure out a way to get them together."

>"Any ideas?"

"No, but Bulma shouldn't be too hard to deal with. It's obvious she likes him. Did you ask Krillin?"

>"Yes."

"And?"

>"He said he'd do his best to keep Yamcha away from her."

"Good."

>"Why is it so important that we get them together again?"

"I told you this already." ChiChi finally found the right color. "If we don't get Bulma to go out with some other guy, she'll end right back up with Yamcha."

>"Why Vegeta though?" Juuachi asked although she already knew the answer.

"He's popular..."

>"And since we're her friends..." Juuachi quoted from ChiChi's first explanation.

"We'll be popular too."

>"Doesn't it seem like we're...um...using her?"

"Using her? Of course not. This isn't just for us. She's getting the best out of this deal, not us." She stopped to blow the paint on her right hand dry. "I told Goku that they have to be going out by next Friday or our deal's off."

Juuachi was still wondering if what they were doing was really for Bulma and was surprised by the change in subject. Nevertheless, she said. >"Oh that was the deal? It's not too harsh."

"I know. But to make sure that Goku gets to talk to Vegeta, it would be best if we could keep Bulma out of the house all weekend."

>"Oh! They've got that new store in the mall."

"Yeah we could go there, and then talk on our cell phones all lovey-dovey to our boyfriends and she'll wish that she had one."

>"That's cruel."

"No it's not. And anyway, to help her along a little, we'll subtly hint at how good looking Vegeta is and say stuff like 'if we didn't have boyfriends he would be our first pick'. We're doing this to help her, remember. It can't be cruel. She'll thank us for it. You'll see."

>"If you say so. You know her better than me."

* * *

Sorry 'bout the wait, and I know that not much happens, but I'm doing a day a chapter. This one (Wednesday) is mainly for explaining a bit and building up. 

I think someone was wondering about my other two stories. Yes, I did take them off. I may put them back on after some revising and stuff, but if I do, it won't be for a while.

And now...I would like to thank...tear...all of my reviewers...sniff...who have stuck with me and all of my irritating...uh...ness...scratches head in confused manner...Yeah.

hehe


	33. Blackmail

Chapter 32- Blackmail

"Hey Geta. You look bored." Goku said as he walked into the room.

Vegeta continued to stare at the TV screen.

"Well...I talked to Dr. Briefs, and he said that if you wanted to go somewhere you could as long as you don't do anything...um...active like."

The TV clicked off and Vegeta's attention became focused on Goku. "Really?"

"Yeah. But when he said out, he didn't mean football or arcades. I think he meant something along the lines of sitting around doing nothing, just not in this particular place."

"Sure why not." Vegeta said sliding off the bed. He was relieved to finally be getting out, even if it was only for a little while.

"I've only got an hour before the JV game is over and varsity practice starts, though. So...uh... where are we going?"

"I don't care." Vegeta said and led the way out.

After riding around aimlessly for about ten minutes, the two decided to go to Vegeta's apartment to get him some more clothes and anything else that he might want while he was staying at Capsule Corp. It didn't take long, mostly due to Vegeta not having many possessions. After about twenty minutes, Goku threw Vegeta's two clothes stuffed duffel bags into the back of his truck. Vegeta checked his old motorbike, which was still sitting outside the apartment building, to make sure that it hadn't been stolen or damaged, and the two got back into Goku's truck to drive around aimlessly again.

"You know I was thinking. You and Bulma seem to get along well." Goku said after a few minutes.

Vegeta threw him a sidelong glance but didn't confirm or deny it.

"And I think she likes you."

"When you are being like this, it makes me want to start calling you Kakarrot again."

"Like what? I was just saying..."

"Well stop just saying."

The two sat in silence for a few seconds before Goku started talking again.

"She's really pretty you know."

Vegeta let out an exasperated growl.

"And I was thinking..."

"Shut up."

"I was thinking that you two would do really well together."

"Who set you up?"

"What do you mean?"

"There is no way that you are saying this without someone having told you to say it. So who told you to say it?"

"Geta..."

"Don't call me that _Kakarrot_. Who was it?"

"But Geta..."

"ChiChi?"

"Ge..."

"It was her, huh." I was more a statement than a question. "Don't lie to me."

"Maybe. So will you go out with her?"

"What are you getting out of this?"

Goku finally gave in. "ChiChi promised that if I got you to go out with Bulma, she'd come visit my grandpa."

"I thought your grandpa was dead."

Goku gave him an odd look. "No. He just lives out in the country."

"So let me get this straight. If I agree to date that girl, then your woman will go visit your grandpa who is, in fact, still alive."

"Right."

Vegeta nodded his head while thinking. "What do I get out of it?"

"What?"

"What do I get?"

"Um...a rich and pretty girlfriend."

"Not good enough, but I've got an idea."

"Okay."

"What say you talk to the coach and get him to let me come back in...uhh...two weeks."

"But Geta!"

"That's the only way I'll do it."

"Why me?"

"Because you're a suck up."

"I am not!"

"Yes you are. Don't argue with me. He likes you, so ask him."

"Alright, but don't you think two weeks is kind of pushing it?"

"Of course not."

"Are you sure?" Goku asked.

Vegeta nodded.

"Well I guess I can talk to him at practice today." Goku said stealing a glance at the clock. "And speaking of which, I kinda lost track of time."

Vegeta leaned back and crossed his arms as Goku sped back to Capsule Corp. He didn't know if he could get along with Bulma well enough to go out with her, but he'd try if it got him back on the football field.

* * *

"So Bulma. Are you planning on getting a new boyfriend any time soon." ChiChi said between licks of her ice cream. ChiChi and Juuachi had decided to take Bulma to the mall after school.

"I dunno."

"You know who I would go for if I were single." Juuachi put in.

Bulma looked from one to the other questioningly. They both grinned.

"What are you guys getting at?" Bulma asked suspiciously.

"Oh come on Bulma!" ChiChi exclaimed throwing all subtlety out the window. "It's obvious you like him."

"Who?"  
"Vegeta." Juuachi said as if it should have been obvious.

"Well yeah, he's good looking..." Bulma thought out loud.

"He's totally hot." Juuachi piped in.

"...and he's popular..."

"The most popular guy in school." ChiChi added.

"...and he's strong..."

"He's totally ripped." Juuachi said again.

"But he's got issues." Bulma concluded.

ChiChi and Juuachi both stopped and whirled toward her. "What do you mean!" They exclaimed at once.

"Well his dad is trying to kill him, that kind of qualifies as an issue."

"Bulma listen to yourself." ChiChi said quietly, opting for a different approach. "How would you feel if your own father was trying to kill you. Wouldn't you just hurt inside?"

"He needs someone to talk to." Juuachi added. "And you two understand each other."

"You can't let him suffer alone. That would be just cruel."

Bulma just stared at them and then looked down in thought. What they had said would have seemed highly comical, if she hadn't thought the same things herself once or twice. But that didn't explain what that had to do with her dating him.

ChiChi and Juuachi shared a look that said that they would laugh about their little speech later.

Bulma, after finishing her contemplation, looked back up at them. "So why don't you two talk to him?"

ChiChi and Juuachi looked dumbstruck.

"Um...well...we can't" ChiChi said.

"Yeah. He won't be able to feel that he can open up to us." Juuachi added. "He doesn't really know us."

Bulma thought for a second. "Why not Goku?" She asked.

"It's not the same." ChiChi said almost defensively.

"Yeah. And plus, you can always be there for him. None of us can do that." Juuachi said.

"So please?" ChiChi pleaded "Just for a little while."

"Until he gets back to his old self? Make things a little easier for him?"

"I guess." Bulma said. "But how do you know that he even wants to go out with me?"

"Oh don't worry about that." Juuachi assured her. "He does."

"At least he'd better." ChiChi said under her breath.

* * *

Rehtaf pulled his car around the back of a little old house. The house was in the middle of nowhere, but if someone did happen to drive by, he didn't want them to see his car. With hopes high that his problems were about to be solved, he stepped out of his car and around to the front of the old house.

* * *

"But come on coach."

"Goku I can't let him play unless a doctor clears him."

"But coach, you know how much is riding on this. What if it would just be for practice. Not for games."

"Well I don't know."

"Please coach he really wants to play."

"I want him to play too, but what if he gets hurt again. I'll be responsible. So unless you can get a note from a certified doctor that says he can practice, play, or whatever, I cannot allow him on my field."

Goku gave the coach a pleading look, but the coach didn't back down. Sighing, Goku gave in, put his helmet back on, and ran to where the other players were practicing.

* * *

"Ma'am?"

The old lady looked up expecting to see a new customer but instead saw an old one. She could feel her palms start to sweat, but she did not budge from her chair.

"I need your help." The man said.

"No. I will not help you." She replied with bravado, silently thankful that her oversized robes didn't allow him to see her trembling. "I know what you did."

The man got over his slight shock at the refusal quickly. "You do? Did you see it in a vision? Can you tell me what I should do now?"

"I refuse to help you any longer. I gave you a gift, and you used it for a horrible purpose."

"Why do you say that it's horrible?" He asked taking a step closer to the table.

"I saw the boy. I saw what you did to him."

"How did you see?"

"How everyone else saw."

"How?" He asked growing confused.

"It was on the news. You've made quite a name for yourself, but it is not a good one. Perhaps it is you who are evil, and not the boy." The old lady was surprised at her audacity when speaking to this man. She did not have time to dwell on her bravery, however, for the table in front of her was knocked away from her and into the wall. She heard her crystal ball shatter and her pebbles and tarot cards fall to the floor, but only distantly. All of her attention was focused on the furious man who was crouched down in front of her.

"Don't you ever say that again." He roared, his face only inches away from hers. "It was _his_ fault that all of that happened to him, and to me! Why can't people understand!"

"I understand that you are insane!" She heard herself yell.

He didn't respond, but she could see him shuddering under his own intense rage as he stared into her eyes.

"Now please." She said much more calmly than she felt. "Leave my home."

"No." He breathed, still inches away from her. Fear was slowly intermingling with the blind rage displayed on his face. "You will help me."

"I'm sorry." She said, somehow managing to look away from him.

"Please." He whispered in a trembling voice.

She couldn't bring herself to look at his face, and so continued to stare at her scattered things as she answered him. "The last time I helped you, you tried to kill a child. That was not what I helped you for. I will not be a part of your evildoings. I refuse."

"You cannot refuse." He said, his anger returning. She stiffened as his hands wrapped around her throat. "I am not giving you that option. You _will_ help me."

"No I will not." She said knowing that she was signing her own death warrant. And indeed she was.

* * *

"Oh Vegeta dear." Mrs. Briefs called cheerily from the kitchen. "Will you come here."

Vegeta was beginning to wish that Dr. Briefs hadn't given him permission to leave his room and wander around Capsule Corp. He now had to get things for himself, and to top that off, Mrs. Briefs, who had unofficially adopted him as her son, had taken to beckoning him to her for the weirdest of things.

Sighing, Vegeta eased himself from the couch and walked to the kitchen. He hoped this wasn't another cross-stitching lesson.

"Just sit at the table dear." Mrs. Briefs said as he walked in and then turned back to the stove where she was stirring something.

Vegeta did as he was told, and sat silently wondering what she wanted this time.

"So I was talking to Mr. Briefs this morning," Mrs. Briefs said as though it was unusual to talk to her husband. "and he told me that you were probably ready to start eating solid food. But he also said to start light. And then I was wondering what kind of light he was talking about, because he wasn't very specific, and so I prepared many tasty things for you to try." She began ladling something into a bowl.

Vegeta stared at her as she placed a bowl of chicken noodle soup and then a bowl of vegetable soup in front of him and then headed back to the counter. He missed eating things, and although this wasn't what he would have in mind when it came to 'tasty', he was glad that they were finally getting him off of broth and Dr. Briefs's experimental 'energy drinks'.

Mrs. Briefs returned a few seconds later with a salad and some mashed potatoes. Vegeta reached for the potatoes and dug in, as Mrs. Briefs placed a tuna fish sandwich and some macaroni and cheese on the table.

"Would you like anything else?" Mrs. Briefs asked after she had given him a bowl of icecream, one of jello, and another of pudding, and then a cup of apple juice.

Vegeta shook his head. "'s good." Vegeta answered through a mouthful of maccoroni causing Mrs. Briefs to giggle.

She sat down at the other end of the table, deciding to talk to him as he ate. "Mr. Briefs also said that you're getting healthy enough to go back to school soon."

Vegeta glanced at her but didn't respond.

"Bulma was telling me about your homework sessions. Speaking of Bulma, she and her friends went to the mall today. She should be home soon. I told her to pick up some chocolate for me at the candy shop. I hope she didn't forget. She's very smart, you know, but she tends to be very forgetful. Why I remember one time when she was seven, she..."

Vegeta half listened to Mrs. Briefs as she droned on about Bulma's childhood. His mind was drifting to other things, like how he would get Bulma to go out with him and uphold his end of the deal. He hated to admit it, but he was drawing a blank.

* * *

Rehtaf stood silently as he let his gaze drift from the dead woman at his feet to all the objects that were displayed around the room. With his last lifeline gone, Rehtaf didn't know what to do. The thought crossed his mind that he could just forget the whole thing, but he quickly tossed it out. It was his obligation to deal justice and destroy the terrible thing that he had unknowingly created. His duty was obvious to him, but the question of how to carry it out had him stumped.

He allowed his feet to take him around the room, and as he halfheartedly glanced at all the trinkets that were lined up on the shelves, he thought back to other justice bringers who people had doubted. People had thought that Batman was crazy too, but then when they saw how good he was, they created comic books and movies about him. He had performed such great acts that anyone now would say that he was just a character drawn up by someone's imagination. Then, the Men in Black- defeating alien invaders with amazing weapons, black tuxedos and cool catch phrases. Many people would say that aliens do not exist, but it is because of the Men in Black that no one ever sees them.

What he wouldn't give to be like that- wearing a disguise and defeating criminals. He'd bring justice to the world, and people would praise him.

He stopped. Why couldn't he be like Batman or the Men in Black?

Looking around the room, he didn't see anything that looked like an adequate disguise. Not disheartened yet, however, he pulled the old fortune teller's glasses off her face and put them on. He walked over to an old mirror with some kind of foggy special effect behind it.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall," He said adjusting the glasses a bit and then slicking his hair back with his hand. "Who's got the best disguise of all?"

* * *

Dare I update so soon?

Hope ya' liked!


	34. Reluctant Joining

Chapter 33- Reluctant Joining

"No. I cannot allow it. You can't play football in your state." Goku and Vegeta had cornered Dr. Briefs during Vegeta's usual morning check up to discuss the prospect of Vegeta playing football again. Dr. Briefs, the kind old pushover of a man, was being unusually stubborn, though.

"But it wouldn't be for two weeks, and what if I would just practice?" Vegeta argued.

"Yeah. It wouldn't really be playing. It would be more like..." Goku paused to think of an accurate way to put it.

"...intense physical rehab." Vegeta covered for him.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think it would be a good idea." Dr. Briefs said.

"But...but." Vegeta stammered looking to Goku. They'd been at this for ten minutes, and he was running out of ideas.

Goku suddenly remembered something he'd heard on TV. "But statistics show that getting out and enjoying yourself actually speeds up recovery."

"Hm...do they?"

Vegeta and Goku both nodded solemnly.

"Well. I suppose that in two weeks we could give you a physical examination and depending on that I'll decide whether or not you can practice. But only practice...light practice. No games until I am assured you are ready. Understood? No football until I clear it." Dr. Briefs gave both boys a semi-stern look then turned and left.

"Well?" Goku said once he was gone.

"Well what?"

"Bulma."

"Oh her...I'll take care of it."

Goku looked at him doubtfully, then shrugged and picked up his books. "Well I've gotta get to school. Oh and we have a game tonight, if it doesn't start storming." He said looking out the window. He didn't like what he saw. "It probably will, but if the game's still on you should come. It's gonna rain all day, though. You think they'll let you out in the weather?"

"Probably not."

"Oh." Goku said scratching his cheek. "Maybe next week then." He stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before turning to leave. "Well...uh...see ya later then."

Vegeta just grunted in response and turned on the TV.

* * *

"Has anyone seen him?" 

"No, but that isn't surprising."

"Why not?"

"Well he was in West City for at least a week, and could still be here, and we couldn't catch him."

"Has anyone at least called in with a lead?"

"Someone did this morning and I sent Kyle and Dakotah to check it out. It ended up nothing, though. They're on their way back now."

"There's nothing that we could get from the kid. He might know something."

"I haven't talked to him since…Monday…I think. I'm supposed to go and tell him about the whole court procedure thing."

"Is he going to testify?"

"I've convinced him to, but I'm hoping that it doesn't come to that. He's been through enough."

"Well we're not doing anything now. Why don't we..." Brianna started to say. However, Johnson's phone started ringing.

"This is Johnson...Yeah...okay. We'll be right there." Johnson hung up and looked at Brianna. "Someone says they've seen something."

"Did it sound promising?"

"No, and I'll bet it's nothing, but we've got to check it out anyway." He said with a sigh.

"It is what we're getting paid for." Brianna pointed out, but she wasn't any more hopeful than her partner.

* * *

Bulma had thought all week about what ChiChi and Juuachi had told her to do, and the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. It wouldn't hurt to be the most popular guy in school's girlfriend, and it wasn't like she'd be using him. She'd be helping him. 

Now as Bulma drove home from school, she was trying to decide what she could do that would kind of push him along. The football game was cancelled, but it would have been too loud there anyway. She had thought of just renting movies and staying home, but Vegeta was probably tired of being cooped up in Capsule Corp. Her next option was to go to the mall, but it would probably be too much walking for him. The arcade was out of the question because he couldn't get his heart rate up. Bowling took too much physical activity. Anything requiring them to be outside was scratched due to the thunderstorm.

She was actually surprised that with a city as big as the one she lived in, the only thing it seemed they could do was to go see a movie.

A movie was fine with her, however. She just had to get him to go with her.

"Hey, Vegeta." Bulma said walking into the living room and taking a seat on the couch opposite the one Vegeta was sprawled across. "I was wondering if you would want to go see a movie and maybe go eat or something...wait...you can eat food right?"

Vegeta looked at her oddly and gave her a slight nod.

"I was just making sure...jeeze..." Bulma tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "So uh do you wanna go?"

"With just you?"

"Yeah just me. It'll be my treat." Bulma said wondering what he was getting at.

"Mmm...Okay." Vegeta said. This may work out to his benefit.

"Alright. We'll go see an early one; it'll probably be less crowded. How's the 6 o'clock show sound."

"S'fine." Vegeta said glancing over at the clock. Seeing that he had two and a half hours, he settled back into the sofa and continued watching TV.

Bulma looked at him, only slightly agitated at how little he was enthused. Figuring that he was probably on some kind of nerve drug, she shrugged and headed toward the lab to tell her dad that she was taking Vegeta to see a movie and that they may be home late.

* * *

Bulma had undoubtedly enjoyed the movie more than Vegeta did, not to say that he didn't like it. It had been a romance, but it did have some action and gunfire in it. 

It was around 8 when the movie let out, and since they were both hungry, the first thing they did was find something to eat. They went through a drive-through but only ended up getting ice cream—Vegeta because the food was too greasy for him, and Bulma because she didn't want to seem rude.

Bulma just drove around for a while, wondering when he would start talking.

It was already nine thirty, and neither had come near striking up any conversation about the possibility of dating. In fact Vegeta had hardly talked at all. ChiChi had told Bulma that Vegeta liked her, but Bulma figured that he was just too afraid to say anything.

She was partially right. Vegeta had really never had a girlfriend, always making the excuse that he had never wanted one or didn't have enough time to date. He really had no idea how to go about asking her, and furthermore, he wasn't really sure that he wanted to date her. She was nice he supposed, but kind of spoiled. She wasn't the reason he was doing any of this though, he reminded himself. All he wanted was to play football and go to college, but in order to ensure that he would get the chance to do either, he would have to ask her to be his girlfriend.

He was just about to speak, but Bulma beat him to it. "I know!" She said turning off the main road. "Have you ever been to the peak?"

"No. But I've heard of it." Vegeta said recalling a few stories he had heard from Zachary about his trips to the infamous "peak".

"You'll like it. It's got a great view of the city."

Vegeta just grunted, wondering how any view of West City could possibly be great.

Bulma looked over at him. He had hardly said anything the entire night, and she was starting to wonder if he was feeling all right. She had heard stories about bad weather making people's injuries ache, but she didn't know if any of that were true. Figuring that he would have told her if he were hurting she shrugged it off. It was probably just that he was contemplating asking her to be his girlfriend and was nervous about it. She figured that once they got to the peak, he would say something.

Neither said anything again until they had reached the peak.

Bulma parked the car but kept the windshield wipers on so that they could see. She made a comment on the view, but Vegeta didn't reply.

After a while, she started to get worried.

"Um, Vegeta." She asked, finally killing the motor.

"Huh?"

"Are you alright?

"I'm fine."

"Well you seem...um...depressed."

"What?"

"Well, ChiChi and Juuachi said that you might be and that's why they told me to spend time with you and cheer you up. They actually said that I should push you on so that you would ask me to be your girlfriend." She chuckled and then realized what she had just said. "Oh but don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I wouldn't want to be...or anything." She blushed furiously and began plucking at the beads on her purse.

"Juuachi said that...and ChiChi...huh?" Vegeta said keeping all emotion out of his voice.

Bulma nodded and continued to stare at her purse. She had thought that she might have hurt Vegeta's feelings, but she was surprised when she heard him chuckle. She ventured a glance at him, but he wasn't looking at her.

"Why is that funny?" She asked feeling a little offended.

"Huh?" He said seemingly just remembering that she was there. "Oh...it's funny because, Goku did the same thing to me. He's a terrible liar so I figured out their little plan."

"Plan? What plan?"

"Well apparently ChiChi and Goku made a deal that if you and I were dating by the next Friday, ChiChi would go on a trip with Goku to visit his grandfather."

"What?"

"It was all a bet."

"But why would she do that?" Bulma said pulling out her phone.

"What are you doing?" Vegeta asked.

"I'm calling her to tell her that we figured our what she was doing and that we do not appreciate it."

"No! Don't do that!" Vegeta snatched the phone away and turned it off.

"Why not?"

"Because. When Goku told me about the plan, I told him that the only way I would agree to it is if he would talk to the coach and let me come back and play."

Bulma was speechless. "You really didn't want to go out with me?" She finally sniffled out with tears forming in her eyes. How could he use her like that?

"What?" Vegeta was shocked that someone would cry over something so trivial. "What are you talking about? It had nothing to do with whether or not I wanted to go out with you or liked you or anything."

"You don't care about me at all! You're so selfish! I'm trying to help you, and you just use me so that you can play football!"

"I don't need your help!" Vegeta roared. His moodswing momentarily shocking Bulma. "I'm perfectly fine. And! If I remember correctly, the only reason you asked me to come with you is because your friends put you on a guilt trip."

"That's not it at all! I actually cared, unlike some people who only think about themselves!" They both sat in silence, neither one looking at each other, but instead gazing out of their windows. It was a few minutes before Bulma spoke again, quietly and still without looking at him. "Get out."

"Huh?"

"Get out of my car!"

He didn't move.

Bulma waited for a little while, but he still neither obeyed nor spoke. She didn't know how to respond to that. She hadn't expected him to actually get out of the car, but she _had _expected some kind of plea for forgiveness. Anytime she had yelled at Yamcha, he'd always begged for her forgiveness and promised to make it up to her. But Vegeta seemingly didn't want forgiveness. He didn't see that he'd done anything wrong. He didn't care whether or not she understood, and didn't want her sympathy either way. He was so...so...something. She just didn't understand him. Maybe the whole thing with his father had messed him up more than he was willing to admit.

"Is it really that important?" She asked after a few more minutes of silence.

"What?"

"Football."

Vegeta still didn't look at her, but continued to gaze out of the window. "...Yeah."

"Why? How could a sport be so important?"

"You know about the scholarship; what's left to say?"

"Oh. You couldn't..."

"No. I can't afford to go to collegewithout it, okay?" He wrenched the door open and stepped out, but he was not finished. "Not everyone is handed everything on a silver platter. Just because I'm not the _heiress of Capsule Corp.,_" He said putting an emphasis on her title. "doesn't mean that I plan to live in the slums for the rest of my life. Is that alright with you?" With that, he slammed the door and started off down the road.

Bulma sat back in her seat. All of what he'd said had not sunken in quite yet. All she could think about was that he thought she was a spoiled brat. He had no right to talk to her like that—no right to say that she was a brat when he didn't even acknowledge when people were trying to help him. As far as she was concerned, he deserved what he got. She grit her teeth as she looked into the rearview mirror, and saw him, illuminated by the taillights. She almost laughed when she saw that he was walking with a slight limp. But she caught herself. If she laughed, she would prove him right. She would be a spoiled brat –a bitch even—with no compassion. Part of her was telling her to go after him—was saying that he needed help now more than ever and that she shouldn't be so hard on him- but the other part of her wanted to hold on to her pride.

After a few more minutes of debating with herself, she decided to go after him. She looked back into her rearview mirror only to discover that she couldn't see him anymore. A dull fear began to bubble in her stomach. Why did he have to be so stubborn and walk off all alone on a cliff road in the dark?

With a growl, Bulma slammed her hands on the steering wheel, justfor good measure, and started the car. Without another thought, she sped off down the road.

Vegeta had known that getting out of the car would be a bad idea, and now he was feeling the full effects of his decision. Worse than his aching ribs and a throbbing headache, however, was the knowledge that the deal was blown. Goku had already done his part, but Vegeta had failed to do his. He probably could get the coach to let him play in two weeks anyway, but Goku was the closest thing to a friend he had. He'd hate to lose his only 'friend' because he went back on a deal.

There was not much he could do about it now, however. Now, he had to focus on getting back to Capsule Corp. alive. Then, he'd worry about the future. He didn't figure there was much chance that Bulma was going to come pick him up. She looked pretty mad when he had gotten out of the car. Even if she did offer him a ride, however, his pride wouldn't let him accept.

He had to hand it to himself; he had really put himself in a predicament this time. Sure it wasn't as bad as some other things that had happened to him, but he _was_ walking in a thunderstorm, at night, in late September, on top of a cliff miles away from where he was going, not to mention the whole broken ribs and busted organs thing.

He suddenly heard something behind him and turned just in time to see a car speed past. The car, which he had instantly recognized to be Bulma's, slammed on its breaks and backed up near Vegeta.

"What the heck are you doing! Get back in the car before you catch your death or fall off this cliff." She yelled through the passenger window.

Vegeta ignored her and continued walking. He was surprised that she was worried about his safety, but he didn't let it show. He could hear her growl as she slowly drove alongside of him.

"Look I'm sorry!" She yelled over the noise of the storm. "Is that what you want? I'm sorry, and I'll go out with you. Just get back in the car!"

Vegeta continued walking as he contemplated this. Finally, after looking at the city in the distance and remembering how long a walk it would be, he decided to let go of his pride slightly and got in the car.

"Okay." Bulma said locking the doors but not driving yet. "We need to discuss the terms of our 'relationship'."

Vegeta just stared at her without emotion, trying his best not to shiver.

"Now. Let's get this straight. I am not dating you because I like you." To this Vegeta nodded in agreement. "I am dating you to prevent you from killing yourself, and in hopes that ChiChi will have a miserable time on her trip."

"And I" Vegeta started. "am dating you do fulfill a deal I made and to play football. This arrangement will only last until ChiChi and Goku's trip, after which we are free to go on about our own lives. Agreed?" He finished extening his hand.

"Agreed." Bulma said in a businesslike tone and shaking his hand.

Bulma started the car and they rode back to Capsule Corp. in silence.


	35. Getasitting

Chapter 34- Geta-sitting

"Hi Geta!" Goku said barging into Vegeta's room, still clad in his football kleets from the morning practice.

Vegeta's only response was to pull the covers over his head and roll over.

"So...?" Goku asked walking up to the side of the bed. Still getting no response, he continued to pester him. "Geta...c'mon." He whined and slapped what he assumed to be Vegeta's shoulder.

This got a groan and a groggy "wha' time is it?"

"It's eleven." Goku answered offhandedly and, not acknowledging Vegeta's second groan, continued to question him. "So how'd it go?"

Vegeta was tired and didn't know what story Bulma was going with so he just growled and pulled the covers tighter. "Go 'way. 'm tryin to sleep."

"Oh. Come on Vegeta. If you just tell me I'll go away." Vegeta could hear Goku rummaging around the room.

"It was fine." Vegeta answered but didn't move from his position.

"A little more detail would be nice." Goku said grabbing the blankets and wrestling them off of his friend.

"Why are you so nosy?" Vegeta groaned and shielded his eyes from the midday sunlight that was streaming through his window Goku had undoubtedly just opened. "I told you it was fine so leave me be."

"Wow. You're cranky."

"I am not. Now get the hell out my room."

"Well technically this isn't yo..."

"Okay!" Vegeta yelled propping himself up. "I'm awake. Is that what you wanted?"

"No." Goku said, taking in Vegeta's appearance. "I wanted you to tell me what happened last night. But judging by the way you look, I would say it didn't go well. What the heck happened to you."

"We went to the peak." Both boys turned to see Bulma standing in the doorway. "He...uh...went out in the rain to...pick me a flower." She explained walking toward them.

"And I didn't feel like showering or changing when we got back." Vegeta said.

"Oh." Goku said, not for one second questioning the story. "So you guys went to the peak, eh?"

"Yeah. What of it?" Vegeta asked.

Goku just smiled. "Oh. Nothing. I was just wondering why you two would go there."

Vegeta was about to retort, but Bulma cut him off. "Well you see. Last night, we went to a movie, and when we were riding in the car, Vegeta asked me to be his girlfriend, and then we went to the peak to celebrate."

Goku's smile broadened. "That's great!" He exclaimed scooping them both into a bear hug. "But I gotta go and shower. I'm meeting ChiChi and we're going eat or something. Hey would you two like to come? I'm sure ChiChi would love to hear your news."

"Sure!" Bulma answered over Vegeta's snort. "Where?"

"It's a little cafe on Main street. I've never been there, and I don't know what it's called either."

"I know the one you're talking about. It's ChiChi's favorite." Bulma said. "We'll meet you there in about an hour."

"Okay. See you then." He said leaving and closing the door to give the new 'couple' some privacy.

Both teenagers listened to the sound of Goku's footsteps in silence.

When she was sure he was gone, Bulma turned to Vegeta, the fake smile melting from her face and being replaced by a scowl. "Vegeta! We have to make this believable. You don't have to talk to me when we're alone, but when there are people around, act like you're my boyfriend! Otherwise, it won't work and all that last night will be for nothing."

"Nothing happened last night anyway." Vegeta said not even looking at her.

Bulma sighed and glanced at her watch. "Look just take a shower and get dressed. We can talk later."

"I don't want to ta..."

"JUST DO IT!" Bulma yelled and stormed out of the room.

Vegeta sat silently for a few minutes, wondering what he'd gotten himself into and wishing that the week would fly by and just end. Then, with a groan, he got off the bed and did as he was told.

* * *

"ChiChi! What is all this? I can't read it!" Goku screeched looking at the menu. 

"It's in French, Goku! I thought you took French."

Goku just shrugged.

"Well this. _Une glace_. That's ice-cream. _Le cafe_ is coffee. _Le The'_ is tea..."

"Do they have any real food?" Vegeta grumbled as he slid into his seat.

"Hi guys!" Goku greeted.

"They have sandwiches and soup, and I would have gotten to that if you had let me." ChiChi scolded.

"You didn't order yet did you, ChiChi?" Bulma asked sitting down also.

"No we just got here a few minutes ago and decided we'd wait for you." ChiChi said. "Oh and I called Juu and Krillin. They should be here in a bit."

"What's this?" Goku asked pointing and trying to sound it out. "Gaetoo dee chocolate? Chocolate!"

"It's chocolate cake." Everyone answered at once.

"Have you been here before?" ChiChi, forgetting that she had fussed at him a minute before, tried to strike up a conversation with Vegeta.

"No." He answered grumpily, and didn't bother to elaborate.

"Oh." ChiChi said and then noticed Krillin and Juuachi coming in. "Good. We can order now."

"I want the cake." Goku said. "Do they have soda?"

"No." Bulma answered. "Only coffee, tea, water, milk or chocolate milk, juice, or wine if you're old enough."

"Oh I want chocolate milk then."

"I think I'll get a cherry pie." Krillin said looking at the menu.

"Ooh! Me too!" Goku said.

"So do you want pie or cake?" ChiChi asked.

"Both."

ChiChi gave him a skeptical look, but Goku just smiled at her. "Okay. Fine, but don't make a mess." She said and waved the waiter over.

After everyone had eaten, they talked a bit and then left the cafe.

"Goku did you get a uniform yet?" ChiChi asked.

Goku gasped. "No! I completely forgot. I was supposed to do that this week!"

"Well guys." ChiChi turned to the other two couples. "We've got to go get Goku's uniform. Anyone care to come."

"I have to go anyway." Krillin said. "Mine were tailored."

"What about you two?" ChiChi turned to Bulma and Vegeta.

Bulma was about to say they'd go too, but Vegeta cut her off.He was getting aterribleheadache and was really tired. "We'll pass." He grabbed her arm and dragging her down the street.

"Bye guys!" Goku called after them.

"Maybe hooking them up wasn't a good idea." ChiChi said as she watched Bulma decapsulating her car while fuming at Vegeta. "They don't seem very...um...compatible."

"Nonsense." Goku said watching the two car doors slam and the car speed off. "I think they get along fine."

* * *

Bulma walked into the kitchen with Vegeta trudging behind her. Bulma had given Vegeta an earful on the ride back to Capsule Corp. for embarrassing her in front of her friends, all of which Vegeta ignored. 

Mrs. Briefs turned away from what ever she was stirring as they came in.

"Why hi dears. I'm baking some cookies. They'll be done in about twenty minutes."

"Okay mom." Bulma said. Neither were intent on stopping to chat.

"Oh wait." Mrs. Briefs called causing both of them of them to stop and turn to her. "Vegeta you look pale. Are you feeling alright? Where did you two go last night?" She skittered over to feel his forehead.

"We went to a movie mom." Bulma told her. It wasn't technically a lie.

"Oh you have a fever. Well come on then, up to bed. I'll get the thermometer. Bulma are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine mum." Bulma said leaving.

"Come on dear." Mrs. Briefs said as she steered him out of the kitchen. Mrs. Briefs chattered away about times that Bulma had been sick as a child until they got to his bedroom. "Now you just get into your pajamas and I'll be right up with the thermometer and some chicken soup."

Mrs. Briefs skittered out of the room and came back not ten minutes later with what she had promised. "You just stay in bed tonight." She said as she waited for his temperature to come up. "Bulma will take care of you."

"Now your father and I are going to a banquet tonight. We'll probably be home late. I need you to stay here and look after Vegeta okay."

"But mom! It's Saturday!"

"Were you planning to go somewhere?"

"Well no. But..."

"Well just stay here and keep each other company. If you would like, I could get the Chess set out of the closet."

"Sure. You do that." Bulma sighed as her mother walked out.

She fell back onto her bed and turned her TV on just as the phone rang. She put the TV on mute and answered the phone.

"Hey Bulma." ChiChi said. "Patty Slate is throwing a party tonight, why don't you and Vegeta come with us?"

"I can't." Bulma ground out.

"Why not?"

"Because Vegeta is sick and my mom's making me stay home with him."

"Oh. The poor thing. He did look kind of pale today at the cafe. He didn't talk much either." She stated. "Oh well. You two can spend some time alone though."

"Yeah. That's true." Bulma said, trying to sound as though she liked the idea.

"Well anyways. I gotta get ready. Talk to you later. Okay."

"Bye Bulma said and hung up."

Bulma turned the volume back on on the TV, crossed her legs, and pouted.

* * *

"Bulma dear." Mrs. Briefs, wearing a long silk dress, said as she entered Bulma's room three hours later. "Here is the chess board. Take care of Vegeta. Remember that he has to drink plenty of liquids. I just checked him. He has a temperature over 102 degrees, so make sure that he stays in bed. Keep him company and take his temperature often. Give him two of these pills in about an hour, and then again four hours later if he still feels sick." She handed her a bottle. "I gave him two about three hours ago. It helps to keep his temperature from rising. I have to go now. Take care sweetie." Mrs Briefs said as she kissed Bulma on the cheek. She reminded her of the list of emergency numbers, told her where snacks would be, and then left. 

Bulma looked at the bottle of pills that her mother had given her and threw it across the room. She sat fuming on her bed for a good five minutes before she decided to go and yell at Vegeta.

She found him right where she had expected to: in his bed watching TV. She crossed her arms and stood in the doorway glaring at him.

Vegeta knew she was there, but didn't acknowledge her until the commercials. "Hello." He said choosing to ignore her mood. "Why are you in my room?"

"First of all! This is **my **house and I can be where I want! And second! I cannot go out tonight because **you** are "sick" and my mom is making me take care of you."

"But you're my girlfriend." Vegeta said sarcastically. "That's what you're supposed to do."

"I am not your girlfriend, and I am not **supposed** to do anything! They have a party tonight, and I am stuck here with you."

"Look!" Vegeta said getting off the bed and striding over to her until their noses were touching. "First of all!" He began in a mocking tone. "I went to that stupid cafe this morning with you, so don't act like you're the only person who does things that they don't want. Second! I'M NOT KEEPING YOU HERE!" With that, he strode back to his bed and continued to watch TV.

Bulma, not even a second later, stomped over, snatched the remote and turned the TV off. "Now look here! I am going to that party! And if you _dare_ tell my mother, you will be sorry."

Vegeta just looked at her, grabbed the remote back and turned the TV back on.

"I take it that you don't care then." She said as she headed toward the door. "Goodnight." With that she slammed the door and walked toward her room to get ready.

Vegeta glared at the door for a while before he got up to turn the light off. He didn't know why, but it bothered him that she didn't want to stay with him. He'd never tell her that though, or anyone else for that matter. Trying to convince himself that he didn't care what she did, he forced himself to stare at the TV.

* * *

Bulma looked at herself in the mirror. She had to say that she looked great. She turned around for good measure, and then checked the clock. It was already eight. With one last glance and not a second thought, she grabbed her purse and ran out the door.

* * *

Vegeta listened to Bulma's door slam and the sound of her footsteps as they faded down the hallway. He had hoped that she would change her mind and stay with him, but he soon realized that she wouldn't. 

Usually when he was sick, which wasn't often, Chuckie would stay with him and take care of him. There was no way that Chuckie could come now, though--it being Saturday night and all. Even if she could find the time, the only way that she could get in the building would be for him to go downstairs and deactivate the alarm system to let her in. He'd learned that that was a pretty long walk, though, and he didn't really feel like making it now.

With a tired sigh that ended in a shiver, Vegeta got under his covers and continued to watch TV.

* * *

Bulma was almost to the party and was thinking of a way to explain why she wasn't home with Vegeta. So far, she couldn't think of anything. There didn't seem to be any logical reason that a girl would leave her sick boyfriend alone at home to go to a party. She decided to take another turn around the block so that she could think of an excuse. 

Why did he have to go and get sick? Why did he have to be all stubborn and get out of the car when it was cold and raining?

_"Get out."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Get out of my car!"_

Bulma grimaced as she remembered what she had said. She _had_ told him to get out of the car, but she _hadn't_ meant it. Had she? Either way, there was nothing she could do about it now. She wasn't responsible for his welfare, and he had been a jerk. He probably wasn't all that sick anyway.

_"...He has a temperature over 102 degrees..."_

She was feeling guiltier by the second. Even though he was mean and arrogant and a complete jerk, she had been just the same.

_"Oh. The poor thing. He did look kind of pale today at the cafe._ _He didn't talk much either." She stated. "Oh well. You two can spend some time alone though."_

Even for the sake of their deal, all her logic was telling her to go back home. She wouldn't look like a very good girlfriend if she showed up at the party no matter what excuse she gave..

_"...Take care of Vegeta..."_

And then her parents. If they found out that she'd left "the patient" alone, they'd be so disappointed.

_"...Give him two of these pills in about an hour..."_

Bulma's car screeched to a halt. She'd totally forgotten about the medicine. Any want she had of going to the party flew out the window. With a sudden fear building in her gut, she sped off toward home.

What did the stuff do again? It couldn't have been that important.

_"...It helps to keep his temperature from rising..."_

That's semi-important, she admitted.

* * *

Vegeta had fallen asleep not long after Bulma had left. The TV was still playing some dark and scary horror movie, and the sounds helped to make Vegeta's dream more vivid. 

_"Vegeta, bring me my cigarettes." His father ordered from the living room._

_Vegeta looked up from the picture he was drawing to see his mother get up from her chair and pull a pack of cigarettes out of the drawer._

_"HURRY UP!"_

_Vegeta slid off of the chair and took the cigarettes from his mom. "Don't say anything." His mother whispered in warning. "He's in a bad mood."_

_Keeping his eyes low, he shuffled into the living room and up to his father's chair._

_"What took you so long boy?" His father asked snatching the cigarettes._

_Vegeta didn't think he had taken long, but he didn't say anything. He just bit his lip and kept staring at the floor._

_"You don't want to answer me?" Vegeta felt his father grab his chin and pull his face up. "LOOK AT ME, BOY!"_

_"I didn't!" Vegeta said._

_"What was that?"_

_"I didn't take long." He said a bit more quietly trying to back up. His father's grip on his face tightened._

_"Thedrick. Why don't you let me handle him."_

_"Shut up woman. You won't do a damned thing. Go back in the kitchen where you belong. I'll teach this child how to talk to people."

* * *

_

Bulma burst through the door into Vegeta's room. The light was off and the TV was playing some kind of horror movie or so she gathered from all the screaming. Vegeta appeared to be asleep. He was lying curled up on his side facing away from her. Bulma sat on the bed and leaned over him. In the flashing light she could see that he was soaked in sweat and shivering. She looked around for the thermometer and found it on the bedside table. She flicked on the lamp and fiddled around with the thermometer trying to turn it on. Finally she figured it out.

"Vegeta." She whispered nudging his shoulder.

"Stop." He mumbled, but he didn't sound like he was talking to her.

"Vegeta." She repeated a little louder and nudging him harder.

He only whimpered and curled up tighter.

Bulma crawled around to the other side of the bed so that she could see his face. To her surprise, he was crying.

"Vegeta." She said again, this time in a gentle tone. "What's wrong." She brushed his sweaty hair off of his face. "Wake up."

He only continued to whimper and mumble things occasionally.

Bulma was getting more worried by the second. "Vegeta what's wrong. Are you hurting?" She pulled the blankets back, but didn't see any blood. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with him.

"Don't hurt her." Vegeta said, startling Bulma.

She looked down at him, but he was still asleep. "He's having a nightmare." She said to herself, relieved that he wasn't hurt, but worried that a dream was affecting him this much. Again, she tried to shake him and call his name, but he didn't respond. Getting desperate now, she pulled him into a sitting position, and hugged him to her. "It's okay." She whispered to him as she rocked him back and forth. "It's okay. I'm here." She almost smiled as she heard him stop whimpering. "It's alright." She repeated over and over while rubbing his back.

"Bulma?"

The whispered plea startled her for a second, but she quickly recovered and burst into tears. "I'm so sorry!" she wailed. "I shouldn't have left. I'm so sorry." She felt him tense and then move to hug her back. She could tell that he wasn't used to things like this, but she was grateful that he seemed to forgive her. "Here." She said after a while. She pulled back from him and motioned for him to put the thermometer in his mouth. She smiled reassuringly at his tear streaked and ashamed face. "Lie down. I'm going get your medicine. I'll be back in a second." She leapt off the bed and ran to her room.

She looked around her room for the small bottle that her mother had given her, but she didn't see it. She didn't remember where she had put it either. She looked on her bedside table and then under it, but it wasn't there. She surveyed the room, but still didn't see it. Her room was already a mess from her pre-party fashion show,but she set to work tearing it apart again.

"Where is it!" She almost screamed as she rummaged through her drawers and threw the pillows off her bed. She kicked aside a pile of clothes and sighed in relief when she heard the bottle hit the wall. She quickly scooped it up, read the label, and dashed back to Vegeta's room.

Vegeta shot a glance her way as she came in and then let his gaze rest back on his lap. He was sitting crosslegged with his back against the headboard. Bulma could tell that he was relieved that she came back, but was probably ashamed about earlier.

Bulma crawled onto the bed and took the thermometer out of his mouth. Her eyes widened as she read it: 103.4. "Here." She said shaking two pills out of the bottle and handing them to him. "Did mom leave you any water?"

He pointed to the bedside table on the other side of the bed without looking at her. "'s empty."

"Oh. Well. I'll go run down to the kitchen and get you some more." She said and dashed out of the room again.

She made it to the kitchen in record time and began rummaging around the drawers for a capsule mini-fridge. After what seemed like forever to her, she finally found one and popped it open. Going to the big fridge, she pulled it open and started shoving bottled water and juice into the mini-fridge. When she was satisfied that it was enough, she capsulated it again and ran back up to Vegeta's room.

She found him in the same position he had been in before. "Here." She panted after decapsulating the fridge and pulling a bottle of water out. He took the water from her without looking at her and swallowed the two pills. After Bulma was satisfied that he had taken his medicine, she collapsed dramatically across the foot of the bed gasping for air. "Wooh! That was a run!" She had hoped that the display would cheer him up a bit, but it didn't. He just continued to stare ashamedly into his lap. "So what are you watching?" She asked, but only received a shrug in response. After thinking a second, she crawled up next to him and started pulling off her shoes. "Aw c'mon. Cheer up. I'm missing a party to be here. The least you could do is talk to me."

He glanced over at her and then looked away. "Sorry." He mumbled almost too low to hear. The word sounded strange coming from him.

"For what?" She asked, having no clue what he was talking about. He was acting really weird.

"Making you miss your party...and getting your shirt wet."

Bulma looked down at her shirt to see that it was wet from his sweat and tears. "It's no problem." She said offhandedly. She stared at him for a while seeing that he was still shivering. "You okay?" She asked.

"'m fine." He mumbled.

"Okay." She said and snuggled into him. She knew that he wasn't fine, but she wouldn't tell him that. For the first time, she saw how lonely he was, how sad. Whatever his nightmare was about, it had obviously shaken him. She almost wished that he would snap at her for something like he usually did, but he just shrugged her off.

She idly wondered if he cried every night or if it was just the fever. She never would have pegged him as a happy person, but she wouldn't have guessed that he was traumatized. He needed someone, and she decided that she would be that person.

The two just sat there for a while. Bulma was looking at the TV but not really watching. She wanted to reassure him, without actually saying anything, that she didn't think any lesser of him because of a few tears. She didn't really know how to do that though, so she just snuggled up beside him and stayed quiet.

Vegeta saw what she was trying to do, but didn't know how to take it. He'd always prided himself on being tough, and here he was leaning on some weak girl for comfort. He liked it though, and he didn't know why. Despite his rough exterior, he did need a hand every once in a while. Now was one of those times, and although he wished that she hadn't seen him like he was, having her stay with him was kinda...nice.


	36. Better or Worse

Chapter 35- Better or Worse

Bulma woke up and looked around. Something was...off. It was 6:30 a.m., and there was the fact that she was still in jeans. Then it hit her. She was in Vegeta's bed, her arms wrapped around him and his around her. Off indeed.

With her face turning a lovely shade of red, she unwrapped herself from him and stumbled out of the room, hoping that her father wasn't nearby lest he have a stroke.

Reaching her room, she changed into some pajamas and went back to bed.

* * *

"Hey Geta!" Goku said as he barged into Vegeta's room. He'd made a habit of doing that recently. 

Vegeta didn't move or respond. In fact, the only sign that Vegeta knew Goku was in his room was the increasing volume of the TV.

"I heard you were sick. Feeling better?" Goku asked innocently.

Vegeta's face went pale as he wondered how many people Bulma had told.

"You still look a bit pale." Goku pointed out. He also noticed that he was acting strange, but decided not to mention it. "But that's okay. 'Cause I brought" He pulled out a duffel bag and tossed it on the bed. "All of these movies."

Vegeta didn't say anything. He didn't even look at Goku, but trained his eyes on the bag instead.

Goku fought back the urge to sigh. He had known Vegeta for years, and he knew that this behavior was a sure sign that there was something seriously bothering him. He also knew that no matter what the problemwas he would never tell him anything. Goku slowly pulled the chair from the desk and sat backwards in it. He was silent for a while just studying his friend's movements and facial expressions as he slowly picked through the movies. He didn't like what he saw. He knew that Vegeta was going through a rough time, which on its own was enough to get anyone depressed, but he couldn't help but think it was something else.

Goku desperately wanted to help, but he had no idea where to start. He didn't even know what was bothering him…or even _if_ there was something bothering him. He might just be blowing the whole thing out of proportion. Either way, he decided to do anything he could to cheer Vegeta up.

"So what did you two do last night?" He finally asked.

Vegeta just shrugged and continued to read the back of one of the movies.

Goku decided not to push it, so changed the subject a bit. "I went to a party last night." He said. "It wasn't all that fun though. I didn't really know anybody, and all they did was drink. I can't hold liquor down and ChiChi doesn't do that kind of stuff so we left early. We'd considered coming over here, but ChiChi wanted to leave you two alone. Anyway. ChiChi and Juuachi are going shopping today. Bulma might be going with them. So that just leaves us. Oh and Krillin's coming too. ChiChi really wants us to be friends with Krillin, because he's best friends with Yamcha, and she doesn't really like Yamcha as you may have noticed... You have a fridge in here!"

Vegeta looked at the mini-fridge as if seeing it for the first time, then shrugged.

Goku scurried over and opened it. All his worry for his friend was pushed aside by his amazement at seeing a refrigerator in someone's bedroom.

"Aww. Nothing but drinks." He whined after a brief inspection. "And I'm hungry. Well, while you pick a movie, I'll go down to the kitchen and see if Mrs. Briefs will make us something to eat. If not I'll order pizza."

Vegeta stared silently at the door Goku left through wondering how the guy could be so excited all the time. Then, wanting to put a few of his fearsto rest, he got up and headed over to Bulma's room.

Looking around the hall, he knocked on the door. He heard a muffled "come in" from the other side and let himself him.

"You told them?" Vegeta asked her, closing the door behind them and leaning on it. He sounded absolutely betrayed.

Bulma was looking at herself in the mirror and putting the finishing touches on her outfit. "Told them what?"

"'bout last night." He mumbled blushing.

Bulma turned to look at him, but his gaze was on the floor. She held back a sigh and walked over to him. "Only that you were sick. Nothing else, I swear." She said defensively. He looked up at her to see if she was lying, and she held his gaze. "Don't worry. I won't say a thing. I promise. Oh and by the way. I'm going to the mall. I think Goku might be coming over."

"Yeah he's here." Vegeta said opening the door and stepping into the hall. His cheeks still held a blush, but he was utterly relieved that she wouldn't say anything, and also surprised that he somewhat trusted her to stick to her promise.

"Good." Bulma said grabbing her purse and following him out. "I gotta go. Have fun." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then headed down the hall, a devilish smirk on her face.

Vegeta stared after her, and then looked around to make sure nobody saw. Satisfied, he headed back to his room.

* * *

"Bulma dear." The shrill voice sang, announcing Mrs. Briefs's entrance. 

"What mother?" Bulma asked in annoyance. She hoped that her mother wasn't going to ask her to do something. She had walked through the mall for six hours, and now all she wanted to do was relax.

"Your father and I are going out of town for a few weeks."

Bulma had grown quite used to these business trips over the years and wasn't the least surprised at the news. "Okay. When?"

"We'll be leaving next Friday." She answered.

Usually, the dialogue would have ended there, so Bulma was a bit surprised, surprised enough to look up from her book, when her mother continued talking. "Your father is a bit concerned about you staying here alone with Vegeta, though. I told him he was being silly, but he wanted me to tell you that if ever you think he might do something, you may invite ChiChi or Juuachi or one of your other female friends to spend the night."

Bulma looked oddly at her mother, but nodded anyway. She sat for a while after her mother had left, wondering why her father had so little faith in her and so much distrust for Vegeta. She decided that she'd have to ask him about that later. She looked back at her book, but decided that she didn't feel like reading anymore. With a yawn, she put the book on her bedside table, then turned off her lamp and went to sleep.

* * *

Monday morning was horrible for Bulma. The new uniforms clashed with her hair, and to top that off, news of her and Vegeta had spread like wildfire. Almost half the girls in school gave Bulma an angry glare when they looked her way, and many turned to whisper lies to their friends as she walked by. Yamcha was especially angry. He still thought that he had some kind of claim on her. Even Mr. Dilloir was being more harsh than usual. The only people who seemed to be happy for her were ChiChi, Goku, Krillin, Juuachi, and a few of her old friends from Carver.

It didn't really matter though. Their little deal would only last until Goku and ChiChi's trip. She was kind of sad though. She was really starting to like him. He could be a pretty cool guy once you look past the attitude. Although neither of them would say it, Saturday night had brought them closer than she would have thought. Besides Bulma getting to know a little more about Vegeta's...what could she call it...sensitive side?...he had established a small trust in her, something that, she guessed, he probably rarely did.

* * *

He was in a pretty good mood today ever since Detective Johnson and his partner had come by. They had asked him a few questions, but mainly had explained court procedures and what parts he would play. Vegeta still did not want anything to do with it, but he knew he had to for the sake of his job and Gee. Nevertheless, he had asked them if there was any possibility that he wouldn't have to testify. The detectives had responded that, although the event would be highly unlikely, if his father pleaded guilty, his testimony wouldn't be needed. Vegeta knew that there was little hope that he would do so, but he also knew that it was possible.

His good mood was not the result of the visit, however, but of the news he gained from it. The detectives had told him that his father had probably left town. No one in West City had seen him in weeks. They had left out the fact that hardly anyone had seen him when they knew he was in the city so as not to worry Vegeta.

After the detectives had gone, Vegeta continued to entertain the hope that his father had left and would never return. Not only would he be happy never seeing him again, but without his father in custody, there would be no court case at which to testify.

Vegeta looked up hearing the door slam. Bulma was home. He still didn't know how to act around her after Saturday. He didn't want to make her mad, lest she run off and tell everyone about the whole crying thing. She had promised that she wouldn't say anything, and had been trying hard to reassure him of that fact. He was starting to warm up to her, and although he didn't have much against her personally, he still had trouble trusting people.

Bulma heard a snicker as she walked into the living room. Squinting her eyes, she turned to glare at the source of the noise. He snickered again but kept his attention suspiciously riveted on the TV.

"_What_" She stressed the word. "Do you find so funny?"

Vegeta just shook his head as though he didn't know himself.

Bulma nodded as if contemplating something and walked to stand in front of him. "Well if nothing is funny, then what are you laughing at?" She said leaning over him.

"It could not possibly be that horrible thing you're wearing." He said innocently.

She scowled down at the uniform and pulled the jacket off. With a hmph, she kicked off her shoes and plopped on the couch next to him. She expected Vegeta to say something to her, but he didn't. She cast him a sidelong glance, ready to start a conversation, but stopped. He wasn't looking at her, but by the look on his face, she could tell that he was almost truly happy. Such a thing was so rare that she couldn't bring herself to say anything forfear that it might ruinthe moment. Whatever the reason for his mood was, she decided not to pry. Silence was good for the moment.

* * *

Rehtaf, as he had taken to calling himself, pulled his head out of the cupboard and sat back on his heels. His disguise was not coming along as well as he had hoped it would. He had wanted to be a red headed vigilante, but the only hair color he could find was a really old box of black dye, and one of grey. Although the box said "for a healthier look", he couldn't for the life of him, figure out why anyone would have grey hair dye, and then black too.

He had taken to wearing the old lady's glasses to practice walking without being able to see anything that was close to him. He knew that the glasses didn't suit his costume, but the woman had no sunglasses, and he had to do something to disguise his face. He'd also decided to grow a beard. It was itchy, but it would help disguise him better.

Using the counter for support, Rehtaf hoisted himself up, and for about the thousandth time, surveyed the room. It was a complete mess, but he didn't mind. It wasn't his house, and he wouldn't be staying here long.

The old fortune teller was no longer lying in the middle of the floor. He had been content to leave her there and just step over her when need be, but when she started stinking a few days ago, he decided to throw her out back.

Along with problems in the hair and facial departments, he was having trouble finding clothes to fit his theme. Unfortunately for him, the fortune teller had, apparently, never had a husband. Thus, there were no clothes that he could take and try to pass off as his own. The woman did have normal clothes herself, but he really didn't want to dress like a woman. All he had himself was raggedy old t-shirts and jeans--hardly vigilante wear. He had also considered using her robes, but purple wasn't really his color.

With a growl, he kicked a pile of junk that he had thrown out of one of the cabinets, causing things to roll across the room and something to burst. Nothing was going as planned.

Suddenly, he heard voice. He froze. It sounded like two people. They were getting closer. Thinking fast, he tiptoed to the old woman's bedroom.

"Honey, I still think this is a waste of money...and time" One was a man.

"Oh come on. If you are in that big of a hurry, why did you get us lost." The other was a woman.

Rehtaf heard the man sigh but continued what he was doing.

"Besides." The female voice continued as the doorknob turned. "It's not a lot, and it could be fun. We'll just get our fortunes told and then ask how to get back to the main road."

"Alright. But let's be quick about it."

The two people were in the house.

"Must be a temperamental fortuneteller." The man said looking at all the clutter on the floor.

"Oh be nice. They're probably just eccentric."

"Well where is the fortune teller?"

"Be patient, she might not have heard us."

"How do you know it's a woman."

"I'm just guessing. Now stop complaining. HELLO? Is anyone here?" The woman called.

"Yes I'm here." Rehtaf said walking towards them.

"See I told you it was a man." The man whispered to the woman.

The woman gave the man a reprimanding look and then turned to Rehtaf. "Hi." She said with a smile that Rehtaf thought made her look just like his wife Rachelle. "I'm Tasha and this is my husband Raul. We came to get our fortunes told."

"Oh well come right in." Rehtaf said. He didn't think he could bring himself to kill the woman, especially since she'd obviously just been married.

"Can we ask what happened to your house?" Raul asked.

"A poltergeist." Rehtaf said, the first thing that came to his mind. "His name's Albert. He does this all the time."

"Really?" Tasha asked wide eyed. "Can we see him?"

"He's kinda shy, but he may decide to come out later."

Raul rolled his eyes as he walked behind the pair. He could not believe that he was about to pay some guy that believed in ghosts to have his fortune told. But if it made Tasha happy and got them on to their honeymoon faster, then he'd go along with it.

Rehtaf righted the table in the middle of the room. He pulled up a chair but didn't sit down. Tasha sat down in the only other chair in the room, and Raul stood behind her, staring intensely at Rehtaf.

"Is something wrong?" Rehtaf asked.

"Have I seen you before?" Raul asked.

"Come to think of it you do look familiar. Maybe you had a commercial?" Tasha said cocking her head a bit.

"Yeah it was on TV." Suddenly it hit him. "You know what Tasha maybe we'll come back later. We really have to be going. Sorry mister."

"Oh come on, we don't have anywhere to be. I want to get my fortune told."

Raul leaned down close to her ear. "Tasha this is that guy the police are looking for."

Tasha grew pale and looked up at Rehtaf pleadingly, as if she was asking him to make it not true. She too recognized the face, although it was a bit different from the sketch on TV. She stumbled out of the chair and backed into Raul.

Rehtaf just stood there staring at the girl. She was so young, and so much like Rachelle. He couldn't kill her...not again. Now the man...

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave."

Both of them froze. Tasha looked on the verge of tears. Suddenly, Raul grabbed Tasha's arm and bolted.

Rehtaf was getting on in years but he was still quick. He knocked the table out of his way and was upon the two before they could reach the door. Tasha screamed as Raul tried to defend her, but was thrown into the wall. Raul sat on the floor in a horrified daze, as he watched the murderer grab his new wife.

"Stop it!" Rehtaf yelled at her, shaking her by the arms. Tasha continued to scream as she struggled to get out of his grip. "STOP SCREAMING!"

Tasha finally got quiet and only an occasionaly whimper escaped.

Raul finally pulled himself together and rushed back over. He ripped Rehtaf away from Tasha and punched him as hard as he could. "Run Tasha! Get out of here!" He yelled, but Tahsa stood still, too scared to do anything. Raul let all of his attention go to Tasha as he wondered why she wouldn't go. Therefore, he was caught totally off guard when a fist flew into his stomach and another into his face. Raul fell to the floor gasping and clutching his stomach. He watched through one eye, for the other hurt too much to open, and Rehtaf moved to stand over him.

"No! Please!" Tasha shouted running over and grabbing Rehtaf's arm. "Please leave him alone. We'll do anything! Don't kill him."

Rehtaf stopped and stared at her. His heart melting as he watched a tear run down her face. He couldn't ruin this girl's life, then he would be just like _him_. After contemplating for a second what to do with them, he grabbed Raul's arm and started to drag him across the room. "Follow me." He ordered Tasha.

She obeyed silently, hoping that he wasn't leading her to her death.

Rehtaf led them into a bathroom. He set Raul beneath an iron towel rack that was attatched to the wall, then he tore off a piece of the purple robe that he had hurriedly thrown on and tied his hands to it. He took another piece and tied Tasha's hands behing her back. "Now stay here and be quiet." He said closing the door and pushing china cabinet in front of it.

Things had definitely just gotten a lot more difficult. He knew that he'd have to kill the two eventually if he wanted to keep away from the police, but he didn't want to think about it now.

He walked toward the front door to make sure that they were the only people there. He didn't see anyone else, but there was a very nice car. Walking to the car, he tried the handles, only to find that it was locked. With a groan he headed back to the house, and unbarricaded the door.

"Were are your keys boy?" He asked startling the newlyweds with his entrance.

Raul looked at him with a mixture of hatred and confusion. "In my pocket."

Without another word, Rehtaf retrieved the keys, left them again and rebarricaded the door. He returned to the car, and, after cursing Raul for having so many keys, unlocked the door. He plopped into the driver's seat and marveled for a second at the leather interior. Promising himself that he'd take the car for a ride later, he got out of the car and opened the trunk. Smiling at his newfound luck, he pulled two large suitcases out of the trunk and carried them into the house.

He set them in the middle of the floor and then opened the first one. He dug a bit, and conluded that it was Tasha's. He set it aside to look through later, and then opened the other suitcase. This one looked more promising.

"Ooh." He said excitedly, pulling out a suit jacket. A few alterations and this would make a great disguise for him. "And it's brandname too."

* * *

Sorry that I haven't updated lately, my computer's been screwy. Hope you enjoyed it.

_**GothicDream**_


	37. Like Old Times

Chapter 36- Like Old Times

Rehtaf studied himself in the mirror. His new beard and died hair disguised him perfectly. He nearly couldn't recognize himself.

His hair was now a black and grey salt and pepper look trimmed neatly and parted to the side with the help of a little gel. He had a small, clean looking beard and put grey flecks in that too, giving him the look of a college professor. The final touch was a pair of dark rimmed glasses.

The suit he had gotten from Raul fit well once he'd altered the pants a bit. He was a bit disappointed that the shoes didn't fit, but with the money that he'd gotten from the two newlyweds, combined with the money from the fortune teller, he had more than enough to buy new shoes.

He had decided to be nice and give Tasha (and he supposed Raul too) some food to last them until he got back. They'd begged him to let them go and promised that they wouldn't say anything, but he refused to take that chance-- not when he was so close.

With his excitement rising every second, he grabbed a few things that he thought he might need, and headed out to the car. He calculated, from the time that the drive took him last time, that if he left now, he would get to West City Thursday around noon. He thought it odd that every time he decided to kill Vegeta, it ended up on a Thursday-- exceptfor the whole Locke thing anyway. Perhaps, for a change of pace, he would wait a day. It couldn't hurt.

"Enjoy you last days boy. I'm comin'"

* * *

Vegeta looked at the clock beside his bed, and finally decided to give up trying to sleep. He didn't have any reason to get up early, so it didn't really matter if he got to sleep or not. He didn't hear any noise down the hall, so he assumed that the woman wasn't awake. He was thankful for that--she was surely aggravating. 

The week had drug on for him. There was only so much idle sitting that he could take. He was getting lazy and out of shape. He had been wanting to go somewhere, just to get out, but every time, Mr. or Mrs. Briefs would find some reason to keep him in the house. He couldn't wait until he could move back into his own apartment, and could go out whenever he wanted. Sure, he was living in the lap of luxury here, but it wasn't the life he was used to.

As quietly as he could, he slipped out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants and a T-shirt. After thinking it over for a second, he decided to wear his jacket too--the temperature had been dropping a lot lately. He grabbed his boots, although he didn't put them on, and tiptoed out of his room.

He went silently down the hall, trying not to wake Bulma up. Her parents were at the other end of the building, so he didn't have to worry about them. He knew they would be upset if they knew he was sneaking out in the middle of the night, but there wasn't much they could do to him if they found out.

He reached the front door and finally slipped his shoes on. He stared at the keypad on the side of the door trying to remember the code he'd seen Mrs. Briefs put in the other day. Praying, he typed in five numbers and opened the door. When he didn't hear the alarm go off, he let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Quickly, he closed the door, reactivated the alarm, and walked down the sidewalk.

The weather was decidedly cold, he noticed, and in response zipped up his jacket. The sky was still overcast, and although it wasn't raining, it looked like it would soon. It was odd how on one side of West City there was a bay and on the other, there was a desert. He knew it had something to do with the mountains to the east of the city, but he didn't really know or care what.

He didn't know where he was going, but he just wanted to get out of the house. Looking around, he noticed that he was heading downtown. Maybe he could stop by his apartment, or even Gee's. If he felt like walking that far, that was. It was completely across town. It would probably take him an hour, or maybe even two since it still hurt a little for him to walk.

He was already getting tired, and with disgust, looked behind him to see that he wasn't that far from Capsule Corp. He was definitely out of shape. After walking nine blocks, he realized that he was near his school. He didn't know whether to be excited or not that he was going to start school again the next Monday. He supposed that he dreaded it, because everyone would probably ask him things and want to talk to him. He shuddered at the thought. But if it got him playing football again, he supposed he could deal with it. Giving the front of the school one more glance, he walked around to the back where the football field was. It was fenced off, so he couldn't go in. He stood looking through the chain link fence for a few minutes, feeling much like a washed up old man as he recalled his glory days. Then, with a sigh, he walked on.

He decided to head to Gee's. It would be nice to see the old man again. Chuckie had visited a couple times, but she had been too busy to stay very long. As he walked, the buildings were becoming less fancy, signaling that he was nearing his destination.

Nearly an hour and a half later, he could see his apartment building. Gee's was three blocks away. He was glad that he'd decided to walk in the middle of the night, even though it was cold and dark. There wasn't much traffic. Glancing at the street, and seeing no cars nearby, he walked across. He continued to head toward Gee's letting his feet take him on his well trodden path.

Without really realizing it, he found himself at the entrance of the alleyway where he was shot. He stopped walking and stood frozen, remembering that horrible night. A car driving by splashed him, pulling him from his haunted reverie. Looking back at the street to make sure that no one was there, he set off with determination into the alleyway.

The walk seemed to take forever, and was much darker than he ever remembered it being. He wanted to collapse in joy when he finally reached the back door to Gee's. Finding it locked, he started knocking. He heard a voice inside that sounded like Gee, and then the door swung open, a sawed off shotgun aimed right between his eyes.

Vegeta froze, his breath caught in his throat. He clenched his eyes shut, images of the last time he had seen a gun pointed to him flying through his mind.

A strong hand on his shoulder brought him back to the present.

"Hey little buddy. Hope I didn't scare you." Thomas said propping the gun over his shoulder and motioning him inside. "It's just that you're the only person who ever uses the back door besides us, and we all figured you wouldn't be here at 3 o'clock in the morning."

Trying to get his breathing back to normal, Vegeta followed him inside.

"Who is it!" He heard Gee yell from out front.

"A stray!" Thomas yelled back, with a smirk at Vegeta. "You wanna keep it!" He had noticed the way Vegeta had gone pale at the sight of the gun, and how his eyes looked haunted and troubled. Thomas wasn't one to be comforting, but he still tried to lighten the mood, maybe get a smile out of his traumatized friend. He placed the gun on the rack.

"No!" Gee called, not for a second questioning how an animal could knock on the door. "Toss it out!"

"Wait!" Chuckie said hurrying into the back. "I'll get it something to ea...Vegeta!" She ran to him throwing her arms around him. "What on earth are you doing here at this time of night? And why are you all wet?"

"Vegeta!" Gee exclaimed, coming in after hearing all the ruckus. "I hope Thomas didn't scare you with the gun." Thomas stole a glance at Vegeta. "We really didn't think it would be you."

Vegeta shrugged and Thomas draped an arm around his shoulder in a brotherly way.

Neither Chuckie nor Gee missed the significance of the action and how shaken Vegeta seemed.

"Let's go out front." Chuckie suggested.

There were a few men scattered about the bar, all regulars who Vegeta had known for years. When they saw him walk in, all conversation stopped. They all greeted him, each in their own way-- whether with a wave, handshake, or a pat on the back. They were all welcoming, if a bit tipsy, and none said anything about where he'd been. They all knew. They knew he wouldn't like the attention, and they figured that he wouldn't want to think about it.

There was a long silence, which quickly turned awkward, as no one went back to their conversations.

Vegeta was just starting to grow uncomfortable, when Gee spoke up.

"Did I ever tell anyone about the time I went camping with Don and Irvin?"

Everyone groaned, but Gee pretended not to notice. "I believe we were all around 15…no, no wait…we were 14."

Vegeta rolled his eyes, but he wasn't annoyed in the least. He had heard this story at least a thousand times, as had everyone else in the room, and any other time he would have hated to sit there and listen to it. Now, however he was content to just sit and listen.

Gee began to ramble on about how none of them had ever been camping without their parents, and about all their misadventures on their trip.

A small smile was on Vegeta's face as he looked at all the familiar faces. He'd never realized how close these people came to being like family, and he almost felt guilty for not realizing it before. Everyone was laughing as they imagined Gee setting his shoes on fire or falling into the lake, and Vegeta laughed as well.

Time flew by, and as soon as Gee finished his story, one of the patrons started with his own.

Everyone laughed again.

* * *

"Albert!" Tasha called. "Albert come open the door. PLEASE!" 

Raul rolled his eyes. "Tasha." He snapped. "The little ghost….he doesn't exist."

"Well it was worth a try." She said. "Are you hungry?"

"No." Raul sighed.

"Don't worry." Tasha said scooting over to sit by him. "I'm sure someone will find us."

* * *

The story telling had gone on for hours, although no one had noticed. The bar didn't have a clock, by strategy, so that the customers would lose track of the time. Vegeta had been totally shocked when Chucky told him it was already 7 am. Fortunately she'd offered him a ride back to Capsule Corp. 

Vegeta quietly slipped through the front door, and tried to stealthily get to his room. He hadn't gotten two steps, however, when Bulma rounded the corner. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, before Bulma spoke. "Where have you been?"

"I just took a walk." Vegeta said, his voice turning more haughty with each word. "not that it's anybody's business."

Bulma pretended not to notice the tone. "Well I don't think anyone's noticed that you were gone yet, so you'd better get to your room…and change."

"You won't say anything?" Vegeta said, eyeing her warily.

She gave him a sweet smile. "Not if you promise me something."

"What?" He should have guessed there'd be a catch.

"Come to the game with me Friday?"

"I was going to go anyway."

"I know. But now you'll be with _me._"

"Uhh…" Vegeta said stupidly. He thought he was getting off kind of easy.

"Oh." Bulma said as if just thinking of it. "And you have to do everything I say the entire night."

He should have known. He stared at her for a few seconds, contemplating the offer. Dr. Briefs would be pretty pissed if he found out about Vegeta sneaking out, and he doubted that Bulma could think of anything too embarrassing for him to do. "Fine." He finally said, rolling his eyes.

Bulma graced him with a brilliant smile. "Great! We're going to have so much fun!" Se gave him a quick peck on the cheek and ran past him out the door, on her way to school.

Vegeta stared after her, redfaced. He knew that thewhole dating thingwas just a game, but he kind of enjoyed it...a little more than he knewhe should have.And he was starting to think that she did too. Maybe...maybe it didn't have to end when ChiChi and Goku went on their trip.

Or maybe he was letting it all get out of hand.

With conflicting emotions, Vegeta turned and crept silently toward his room.


	38. Party Time

Chapter 37- Party Time

"AND UNION WINS THE GAME!" The announcer boomed over the cheers of the crowd.

Vegeta sighed in relief. The game had been close and he had been nervous about whether or not they would win. This had been the first game that he'd been to since the accident, and although he was glad that he'd been allowed to come, he wished he were well enough to play.

"That was great!" Bulma said grabbing Vegeta's arm and leading him down the stadium stairs. They got separated from ChiChi, Krillin, and Juuachi in the crowd but soon met back up with them in the parking lot.

"Aren't you coming ChiChi?" Krillin was asking as they walked up.

"No. Me and Goku are supposed to be leaving right after the game to go his grandpa's house. I'm just going to go wait by his truck for him to get changed and stuff." She said walking off.

"Oh. Have fun." Bulma called after her, while sharing a look with Vegeta. She turned back to Krillin and Juuachi. "So where are we off to?"

"Party at Rick's. Everybody's going."

"Great!" Bulma said dragging Vegeta to her car. "Come on! It'll be fun."

"Sure why not." He said, although he wasn't very enthusiastic. He usually didn't go to the after parties, but he had been to a few.

And then there was the deal. Bulma had reminded him before they'd left Capsule Corp. that he had to do everything she wanted. Vegeta sighed as he pictured a house full of drunken teenagers, and girls hanging all over him. He shuddered a bit.

He looked at Bulma with pleading eyes, but she only smiled at him. Sighing, he settled back into his seat and crossed his arms.

* * *

"Hi Chi!" Goku ran towards her looking absolutely giddy.

ChiChi slid off the hood of his truck, where she had been waiting for fifteen minutes.

"Sorry it took so long." Goku said while unlocking the truck door. "The coaches had to talk and stuff. Is all your stuff in here?" He pulled the bags out of the truck and stuck them in the back. They had put them into the truck before the game so they wouldn't get stolen, but the ride would be too crammed to keep them in there.

"Yep." ChiChi said getting into the truck and buckling up. She didn't know if she was excited or not. She was missing a party after all. She knew the trip meant a lot to Goku, and she didn't want to hurt feelings. She decided to act happy.

"Okay then, we're off." Goku got in and sped out of the parking lot. "We'll stop for something to eat before we leave the city. The ride's pretty long, so get comfy."

"Okay." ChiChi pulled off her shoes and let her hair down. She wondered what the others were doing.

* * *

"Hi, Vegeta." A blonde skimpily dressed girl sidled onto the couch beside him. Bulma had just walked off to go get some drinks, and many girls saw this as their chance to get close to him.

"What are you doing with that rich chick?" A red head that was similarly dressed asked sitting on the arm rest.

"She's my girlfriend." He answered without acknowledging their attempts to flirt.

"Are we not good enough for you?" Another girl asked sitting on his lap and leaning in.

"We've got everything she's got." The blonde said and then pouted as Vegeta pried her traveling hand off his leg.

"What do you want?" Vegeta asked shoving the girl on his lap off only to have her replaced with another girl.

"Want? I think you know." The girl on his lap replied latching herself around his neck to keep from being thrown off like the other one.

"Come on Vegeta. You've known us like forever, and you've known her for what...three weeks? Besides..." she leaned in close to his ear. "I'm sure she won't mind sharing."

Vegeta was finally getting pissed. They just didn't get it. "Why don't all you whores get away from me and go bug somebody else!" He yelled causing a few heads to turn.

"Aww. You don't mean that." The red head pouted grabbing his arm.

"Yes he does." All the girls looked to see a furious Bulma standing behind the couch with two cups in her hands.

"Well no one asked you." The blonde said. "This is between us."

The girl in his lap turned shoving her boobs just under his nose. "What do you say? Give us something to talk abouAAAAAAAHHH!" Everyone in the room turned to see Bulma pull the girl off of Vegeta by her hair. "You BITCH!" The girl turned, nails flying.

"Hey!" Vegeta tried to jump off the couch only to have the other girls hold him down.

Bulma brought her arm up to shield her face, resulting in three scratches across her forearm. She, being a city girl, was not well versed in fighting. Nevertheless, she began to throw punches. "Ow!" She hissed once one of them connected. She had jammed her thumb. Shaking her hand, she looked back to see the girl, with blood dripping down her chin, cock back her arm for another punch.

The next events happened in a blur. Somehow, Vegeta had wrenched himself free of the other three girls' grips and jumped in front of her to block the punch. "Cool it Ashla!" He yelled at her.

The other girls had gotten off the couch as well, but were not quite sure what to do.

Vegeta grabbed Bulma's arm and started heading toward the door. They had just made it outside when Ashla ran out and grabbed Bulma's arm. Bulma whirled around to get a fist right in her nose. Bulma stumbled backwards and was tackled not even a second later. She began to scream as Ashla grabbed her hair with one hand and tried to pummel her with the other. Ashla didn't get far, because Vegeta grabbed her by the waist and hauled her kicking and screaming away from his girlfriend. "Calm down!" He yelled at her. He was having trouble holding her, and when she elbowed him in his already broken ribs, he dropped her.

Juuachi and Krillin, who had been outside and seen last part of the fight and had run over. They were now helping Bulma to her feet.

The rest of the girls who had been with Ashla and followed her outside to watch, finally jumped in to grab her. "Come on. She's not worth it." One said as they led her back inside. "Let's go get you some ice."

"You okay, dude." One of the football players, Kevin, asked as he walked up to Vegeta. "You look kinda pale."

"'m fine." Vegeta said and headed over to Bulma and the others, trying not to limp.

Bulma was crying while holding her nose. Juuachi was fuming, rearing to go inside and beat the living daylights out of Ashla. Krillin was trying to comfort Bulma and calm down his own girlfriend, and when Vegeta approached, he looked to him pleadingly for help.

"Come on." Vegeta said grabbing Bulma by the waist and leading her toward an empty place for her to open the capsule for her car. Krillin followed dragging a fuming Juuachi along behind him.

"Where are we going?" Bulma asked once they had gotten in the car. She was holding a piece of cloth that Vegeta had torn from his shirt up to her nose to stop the bleeding.

"To the hospital to see if your nose is broken." He answered speeding off down the road. "You two want me to drop you off somewhere." He asked Krillin and Juuachi in the back seat.

"No we'll come." Krillin said. Juuachi was mumbling something about 'wait till Monday'.

* * *

Rehtaf stood outside of the huge building. It didn't look like anyone was there. He still didn't know how he would get into the building. The security code had undoubtedly been changed since Locke had managed to break in. He didn't have any tools either. He walked around to the back door and looked at the security pad. It seemed to need a code. This may be easier than he thought. He would need a couple things first.

* * *

"Here we are!" Goku exclaimed as they came into view of his grandfather's house. He looked over to ChiChi, but noticed that she was still fast asleep. "ChiChi wake up. We're here." He said nudging her.

ChiChi opened her eyes and looked around. This was definitely not what she'd expected. When he'd said his grandfather lived far away, she'd figured in a far-away town, not a far-away forest. There was absolutley nothing around.

She didn't say anything, however, fearing that she'd hurt his feelings.

* * *

Rehtaf had ridden around town for almost an hour before coming to the conclusion that all grocery and hardware stores were closed. A little discouraged, he headed back to Capsule Corp. in hopes that he might catch Vegeta outside.

He was a teenager wasn't he? Teenagers stay out late.

By 2 o'clock, however, he called it quits. In his day, no one stayed out that late. Things couldn't have changed that much.

With a sigh, he drove off to find a place to sleep.

* * *

"Your nose isn't broken." The doctor said walking into the room.

Bulma sighed in relief.

"It shouldn't start bleeding again, but if it does, call me. Take one of these if it hurts too bad." He handed her a small bottle of pills. "You should be fine."

"Good. Thank you." Bulma said as the doctor walked out of the room. She turned to her two friends and her boyfriend. "Let's go."

"Ah. Finally." Krillin jumped to his feet and stretched. "That took forever."

Vegeta would have preferred to keep sitting, but he stood as well. None of them had seen Ashla elbow him, so they didn't know that he was hurting. He'd decided not to mention it to them, either. He'd deal with it on his own.

They left the hospital and headed toward Capsule Corp. dropping Krillin off along the way. The Briefs had left that morning, and Juuachi was staying over the entire time they would be gone.

Vegeta, who had driven home to pull off the whole "i'm fine" act, pulled up in front of Capsule Corp. at 2:30. The three weary teenagers piled out of the car and into Capsule Corp. It didn't take long before they were asleep. They were completely unaware of how close they had come to their deaths.

* * *

"Come on ChiChi." Goku said walking into what used to be his room. "We're going to the lake."

"Lake?" She asked wiping the sleep out of her eyes. She hadn't seen a lake the night before, but then she had probably been asleep when they had passed it.

"Yeah. The lake. I used to go there alot when I was little."

"The young lad used to swim all day sometimes." Goku's grandfather stated with a smile and a fatherly pat on Goku's shoulder.

Goku was practically bouncing from excitement and impatience. "Come on. We have to get there in time to catch fish for lunch."

"Will we eat there?" Grandpa Gohan asked

"Sure." Goku said heading for the door. ChiChi and Gohan followed.

ChiChi figured that the lake was probably nearby because neither man glanced in the way of the truck as they set off into the woods.

Fifteen minutes alter, ChiChi glared at Goku's back, as she stumbled along the practically nonexistent trail and swatting away flying insects. Both men set a brisk pace, that left ChiChi puffing behind them to keep up.

They finally reached a clearing.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Goku asked putting his arm around the sweating and puffing ChiChi. ChiChi did think that the lake was pretty, but she wondered whether it was worth the mile long walk it took to get there. "Come on." He said taking off his shoes and shirt, leaving on only his shorts. "I'll teach you how to fish."

ChiChi had been staring at his muscled abs, but looked up confused at the mention of fishing. "But Goku, we didn't bring any poles."

Both Goku and his grandfather chuckled. ChiChi was slightly annoyed to see that the old man wasn't even winded after their long hike.

"We don't use poles." Goku said leading her over to the edge of the lake. ChiChi decided not to say anything and just wait for him to explain. "It would be better if you would take your shoes off."

ChiChi obeyed without question.

"Good." Goku said and then waded about knee deep in the water and motioning ChiChi to follow him. ChiChi did so hesitantly, thankful that the water wasn't too cold. "Now." Goku said standing behind her and grabbing her wrists, causing ChiChi to tense a little. "Bend your knees and put your hands in the water. Be really still." Goku was watching the fish swim around in the water, but ChiChi was more focused on him. "There's one." Goku whispered, but more to himself than to her. ChiChi looked into the water just in time to watch Goku clamp her hands around the fish and haul it out of the water. ChiChi screamed at the feel of the cold slimy fish flapping around in her hands. She stumbled backwards causing them both to fall and get soaking wet. The fish went flapping back into the water.

"Gah!" Goku pulled his head above the water. "What happened?"

ChiChi just looked at him wide-eyed.

"What? Did its fin stab you or something?"

"You...You want me to _grab_ a fish? While it's alive!" She stuttered, still sitting in the water.

Grandpa Gohan chuckled from his place on the bank.

"Wha...Of course." Goku stood up and held his hand out to her. "I guess I should have told you that."

ChiChi accepted his offered hand, and was quickly hauled to her feet. She looked at her clothes and realized that they were clinging to her. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest, and turned away, trying to hide her blush.

"Would you like to try again?" Goku asked nervously. He hadn't noticed her problem, and thought that she was mad at him.

"Uh...I guess." She said, although she wasn't really looking forward to the feel of touching a fish again.

"Okay." Goku said, a smile lighting his face. He quickly took his position behind her again. "Now watch the fish." He told her.

ChiChi looked at the fish slowly swimming toward them. Most were small, but there were one or two that looked big enough to eat.

"That one." Goku said but didn't move.

ChiChi knew which one he was talking about. She watched as the fish, about a foot long, swam toward her legs. She felt Goku's grip on her hands tighten slightly, and then the next thing she knew, she was holding the fish out of the water. Goku backed off and allowed her to hold it herself.

"What do I do with it!" She squealed turning her face away from the flapping fish so she wouldn't get water in her eyes.

Gohan's chuckles, by now, had turned into a hearty laugh.

"Throw it on the bank." Goku said, trying not to laugh at the face his girlfriend was making.

ChiChi, with a final squeal, granny tossed the fish onto the bank, where it flapped around in the sand.

"Now that wasn't bad was it?" Goku asked cheerily putting an arm around the red-faced girl.

ChiChi shook her head in reply.

"Good. Let's go get some firewood to cook it." He said and led her across the beach and into the woods. ChiChi went without question, thankful that she didn't have to catch any more fish. "Let's look around here." Goku said after they had walked about a minute.

ChiChi busied herself with picking up small twigs as Goku rustled about near a pretty dead looking tree. "This ought to be good." Goku called as he started heading back toward the lake dragging a giant branch.

"What do you need that for?" ChiChi asked jogging to catch up with him, while holding tight to her armful of sticks.

"Oh grandpa's gonna fish too. There are some pretty big fish in the water if you go deep enough."

"How big?" ChiChi asked.

"Five or ten feet, maybe more. Hey you wanna go swimming after we get the fire goin'?"

ChiChi wondered why he would think that after just telling her that there were ten foot fish in the lake she would want to go swimming. "Only if we stay in the shallow water." She said.

"Why?" He asked looking back at her. "You can swim can't you?"

"Of course!" She said, offended. "I had lessons when I was like five."

"Then why not swim?"

"Because of the giant fish." She stated, wondering why it wasn't obvious.

"Oh. Well they usually don't attack you or anything."

"That's okay." She said. "I think I'll pass."


	39. Fire

Chapter 18- Fire

Bulma woke up Saturday around noon with a bruise covering about a fifth of her face. Needless to say, she didn't feel like going out. She had managed to stay in her room all day Saturday, but Sunday, Vegeta and Juuachi had eventually dragged her out.

Krillinhad come over around 7 o'clock, and they had all settled in to wait for Goku and ChiChi to arrive.

* * *

"We're back!" ChiChi exclaimed as Juuachi granted her and Goku entrance into Capsule Corp. They had both gone to their respective houses to unpack and shower, and, afterwards, Goku had picked ChiChi back up and headed over to Bulma's. ChiChi would be staying there while Bulma's parents were away. Goku had gone to keep Vegeta company. 

"We're all in the living room."

Juuachisaid leading the way. "We're going to watch movies once we can agree on which ones to watch. Krillin's here too."

"Hi guys." Krillin greeted as they walked in. "How was the trip?"

"It was great!" ChiChi answered.

"I taught ChiChi how to fish." Goku elaborated.

"You didn't know how to fish?" Krillin asked.

"He does it differently." ChiChi said. "No poles."

"How do you catch a fish without using a fishing pole?" Juuachi looked at them skeptically. "Nets?"

"No." Goku laughed putting his hand behind his head. "You just pick them up out of the water. With your hands."

Everyone stared at him silently.

"Hi!" Bulma said walking in with a giant bowl of popcorn, and Vegeta right behind her with armfuls of chips and cookies. "How was the..."

"Bulma!" ChiChi exclaimed dropping her duffel bag and running over to her. "What happened to your face?"

"Oh." Bulma tried to cover her purple nose. "I...uh...got in a fight."

"Are you serious?" ChiChi asked amazed.

"Who won?" Goku asked from behind her.

"Goku!" ChiChi reprimanded causing him to shy back. She turned back to Bulma. "With who?"

"Some slut at the party Friday night. She wouldn't leave Vegeta alone so I pulled her off him and she got all mad."

"Who was it?" Goku asked Vegeta who had just sprawled himself across the long couch.

"Ashla."

"Oh." Goku said like he should have known. "You shouldn't worry about her, Bulma. She's been like that since Junior High. But uh...just out of curiosity..."

"She got a fat lip and is probably missing a chunk of hair." Vegeta answered his unsaid question.

"Oh. That's too bad." Goku said quite _un_earnestly, and, with a small smile, plopped down on couch across from the one Juuachi and Krillin were on.

Bulma and ChiChi soon joined them.

"So did you ever decide on what we're watching?" ChiChi asked.

"Well I want to watch something romantic, and they want a thriller." Bulma said.

"I can go for romantic." ChiChi said snuggling up beside Goku. "What about you, Goku?"

"Well...I...I guess..."

"So we have three romance and three thriller." ChiChi declared before Goku could finish his answer. "Why don't we watch one of each."

"Action first." Krillin, who was closest to the TV, popped the DVD in before anyone could argue. Bulma turned off the lights and, by habit, sat herself behind Vegeta, allowing him to use her as a pillow. The rest saw this, but didn't say anything. They all settled themselves in to watch as well.

* * *

It was nearing eleven o'clock. All three boys had fallen asleep. Bulma and ChiChi were in tears, while Juuachi was trying to figure out why Jo had refused to marry Laurie. They had seemed to be good friends and he had money. 

"They would have been perfect together." ChiChi said sniffling.

"Why Jo? Why'd you have to break his heart? You hardly know the Professor." Bulma grabbed Vegeta's, who was still lying on her, shirt and buried her face in his hair.

Suddenly the TV cut off and the entire room went black. Juuachi jumped up while the other two screamed. The three boys bolted awake.

"Whah happen?" Goku asked still half asleep.

"The power went out!" ChiChi squealed.

Vegeta got up and went over to the window. "It's on everywhere else." He said seeing the streetlights on an a few lights in the other houses' windows. "Someone go check the fuse box, and someone else get candles and flashlights."

Everyone just stood there.

"What are you deaf?" He yelled causing everyone to jump.

"Vegeta." Bulma whispered. "The fuse box is in the basement. I'm not going down there and no one else knows where it is."

Vegeta sighed. "Fine I'll go."

"I'll go with you." Goku offered.

"Me too." Krillin said

"Come on woman." Vegeta grabbed Bulma's arm and started dragging her to the kitchen.

"I said I wasn't going down there!" She said trying to pull herself out of his grip.

"I'm not bringing you to the basement. You're helping me find flashlights."

"Oh." She said and began digging in a drawer and pulling out three flashlights. She handed one to each of them. "Here."

The three boys took their flashlights and then followed Vegeta out of the kitchen.

* * *

"Okay." Bulma said sitting on the couch beside Juuachi and covering them both with a blanket. "No worries. The boys are going turn the power back on, and we'll just sit here and wait until then." 

ChiChi took the one flashlight that Bulma hadn't given to the boys and shone it on the candle she was trying to light. "Are you sure they'll be okay?" She asked once she had lit two of them. "I mean what if it was that guy?"

"The police said he skipped town. No one's seen him in weeks." Juuachi said.

"But still." ChiChi said sitting on the couch and getting under the blanket as well. "You never know."

* * *

"Hey, uh Geta?" Goku said as they walked by an elevator. "Why don't we just go down that elevator." 

"Because elevators run on electricity, dumbass."

"Oh yeah."

The three boys soon found themselves walking down a staircase.

"Ugh." Goku said holding his nose. "It smells like gas in here."

"It doesn't matter." Vegeta told him." This won't take long."

"So where is it?" Krillin asked.

"Well. I don't exactly know." Vegeta said staring around at the box filled room. "So just start looking. I'll go this way."

"Vegeta." Goku called. "Do you really think we should be splitting up? What if it wasn't just something shorting out."

"Come to think of it." Krillin said shining his flashlight from one pile of boxes to another. "Do you think we should have just left the girls up there by themselves?"

"Look." Vegeta said. "I was just fine with coming alone. If you two want to go back up with the girls, be my guest. This isn't going to take long."

Goku and Krillin looked at each other and shrugged. The girls would be fine. Without another word, they separated to look for the fuse box.

"Hey!" Krillin hollered. "I think I found it."

"Really?" Goku yelled back. He and Vegeta abandoned their own searches and headed over.

"The switch was just off." Krillin said.

"How'd it get turned off?" Vegeta asked.

"Uh..."

"I did it." A voice said causing the boys to spin around. Their flashlights trained on a single man standing at the far end of the basement near the stairs. "Although I really did not intend to kill all three of you."

"Kill us?" Krillin whispered. "Why would you want to kill us?"

"As I said earlier, I didn't want to kill all of you." He pointed to Vegeta. "Just him. And this is not how I planned to do it at all. But it will work just fine." He lit a match and threw it. Instantly a line of fire ran out in front of him, blocking the three boys from the stairs. The man turned and silently walked up the stairs. When he'd reached the top, he grabbed the gas can he had brought and poured gas all down the stairs. It didn't light immediately, but the fire in the basement was spreading.

"Who was that?" Krillin yelled.

Goku didn't answer but just looked at Vegeta, who had not moved his eyes from the stairs. "Guys we've got to get out of here."

"No kidding?" Krillin said as he watched the fire engulf box after box. "Do you think we can make it to the stairs?"

"We can try." Goku said as he grabbed Vegeta's arm. "Come on Geta. Pull yourself together."

Just then, the stairs exploded into flame.

"Okay." Krillin said. "The stairs are out."

Goku looked around for a window, but didn't see one. They were running out of time. "VEGETA!" He yelled giving his arm a jerk.

Vegeta snapped out of his trance and looked about the room.

"Is there another way out of here?" Goku asked.

"Only the elevator..." He answered.

"Krillin turn the power back on." Goku ordered cutting Vegeta off.

Krillin did as he was told.

"But it probably won't work when there's a fire." Vegeta finished.

They could see the lights in the hall flicker on as the fire alarm started to wail. There were sprinklers in the basement but not nearly enough to put out the fire.

* * *

"What is that!" ChiChi screeched. 

"The fire alarm!" Bulma answered her. "The building's on fire!"  
"Where are the boys?" ChiChi had only begun to panic. "What if they're hurt?"

"We have to go find them." Juuachi said, standing.

"The fireman will be here in a few minutes," Bulma said. "but I agree with Juu."

ChiChi stood up too. "Well let's go then."

"The basement's this way." Bulma said leading them out of the room.

* * *

"Come on somebody." Krillin said. "We need a plan." 

"Those stairs will never hold us." Vegeta stated. "Even if the sprinklers do put the fire out. Our best bet is the elevator."

"I thought you said it won't work."

"We can just climb up the chute."

"Oh okay." Goku said. "That makes sense."

"Guys we'd better do something cough fast." Krillin choked, the stack of boxes closest him now on fire. The smoke was thickening making it hard for them to breathe.

"Look for a crowbar cough or anything that can pry the doors open." Vegeta ordered shining his flashlight around the room.

Goku, spotting something took off through the flames and emerged a moment later, coughing and patting his pants out. "cough cough Will an axe do?"

"Perfect." Vegeta wheezed before taking off through the flames in a different direction than Goku had a second ago. "The elevator's over here!cough cough"

Krillin immediately followed him choking, all the while trying to dodge around flames.

"I have to cough run through the fire again!" Goku shouted before running after Vegeta and Krillin.

Krillin walked up to the elevator and pushed the button, and then noticed Goku stairing at him oddly. "It was worth cough a try wheeze."

"Come on." Vegeta, who was now breathing through his shirt, ordered pointing to the elevator door.

Goku pulled his shirt over his face as well. He nodded to Vegeta and swung the axe toward the door. He wrenched it out and swung it a few more times.

"That's enough." Vegeta said pulling off his shirt, tearing it in half and wrapping his hands with it.

The other two boys stared at him oddly until he stuck his fingers into the hole and pulled, slowly making it bigger. Goku and Krillin finally figured out what he was doing and followed his lead.

Once the hole looked big enough for even Goku to fit through, Goku passed the axe to Krillin, who got to work making a hole in the inside layer of metal on the door. Vegeta and Goku began trying to stomp out the approaching flames. Once Krillin had made a few holes, the three boys, sweating and gasping, pulled the edges and opened the hole.

"Alright Geta." Goku said once they could see a hole clear through the elevator door. "You first. And hurry." Goku edged closer to the door to keep from being burned.

Vegeta decided not to argue at the special treatment he was obviously being shown, and crawled through the hole. He was careful not to get scratched, but quick nevertheless. When he was in the elevator, he started looking around for the emergency hatch. Spotting it, he went over, wondering how to open it.

Krillin crawled through next.

"Hey bring the axe with you." Vegeta hollered to Goku.

Goku tossed it in. He, being the biggest of the three had the most trouble getting through the hole.

Vegeta grabbed the axe and, using the handle end, began beating the hatch open. Krillin meanwhile was tugging Goku through the hole.

The hatch came open about the same time that Goku got loose.

"Now what?" Goku said taking the wrapping off his hand and tying it around a rather large gash he'd gotten on his arm.

"Through there." Vegeta said sliding the axe handle through a belt loop in case he needed it later.

Without another word, Goku walked under the hatch, laced his hands, and looked expectantly at Vegeta. Figuring that this meant he was first again, Vegeta stepped into the boost and was literally thrown through the hatch.

"Sorry Geta!" Goku called after he heard Vegeta clunk down on top the elevator. "I didn't think you were that light. You okay?"

"Yeah." Vegeta called down irately as he helped Krillin onto the top of the elevator.

Vegeta and Krillin pulled Goku up with them and then all three turned to the door in front of them. Being on top of the elevator they were almost even with the ground floor. Vegeta pulled out the axe. Goku immediately grabbed it from him and started hacking away at the door.

* * *

Rehtaf hadn't moved from his spot by the stairs. The fire was spreading to the first floor, but he still didn't leave. It was odd. He didn't hear any screams. This time he wanted to make sure that Vegeta died. He decided that he'd see it through to the end no matter what the cost. He knew that they weren't dead, but he couldn't tell what they were doing. He kept hearing voices and banging. 

They'd stopped, though, a few minutes ago. With joy, he figured that they must've given up.

Suddenly, he heard more banging. It wasn't coming from the basement, though, but from down the hall. Curious, he followed the noise. To his great surprise, the door to the elevator was being hacked open.

Amazed that they had gotten out of the basement, he pulled out his gun. Vegeta wouldn't get away that easily.

He didn't want to get in the way of whatever it was that they were breaking through the door with, lest he be hit before he could finish his business. So that he wouldn't be seen, he stepped back around the corner. He could hear voices. When he looked back around the corner, his son was crawling out of the hole. He fell to the floor and then rolled over to sit on his butt.

This was his chance.

* * *

"Alright Krillin." Goku said with the axe propped over his shoulder. "You next." 

Krillin was already at the hole and was about to climb through, but he stopped.

"Come on, Krillin." Goku said growing impatient. "It's hot in here."

Krillin backed away from the hole and turned to Goku. "That guy's out there." He whispered.

Goku shoved him aside and hurried over to the hole. He was met with the sight of Vegeta sitting on the floor with his father pointing a gun right between his eyes.

Goku didn't say anything, but took the axe off his shoulder "Run Vegeta!" He yelled throwing the axe. "Don't worry about us! He doesn't want us!" Unfortunately, the blade didn't hit Rehtaf. The handle did, though, knocking the gun out of his hand. This gave Vegeta enough time to scramble off the floor and dash down the hall.

Rehtaf grabbed the gun off the floor and took off after Vegeta, trying to aim as he ran. "I'll be back for you, you little bastard!" He yelled to Goku.

Goku hurriedly scrambled out of the hole. "Come on Krillin! We've got to stop him!"

Krillin followed him out, and they both ran down the hall the way Vegeta and his father had gone.

* * *

Vegeta purposely did not go in the direction of the living room. He knew the girls would be in there, and he didn't want them to be in the way of any bullets. 

He could hear his father behind him, and to make himself less of an easy target, didn't run in a straight line.

Within a few minutes he was lost. His few weeks at Capsule Corp. were apparently not enough time for him to map the building.

He turned a corner and was met with a doorway and a dead end. Without hesitation, he went through the doorway.

This was apparently a storage room for old and broken machinery.

* * *

Bulma, Juuachi, and ChiChi rounded a corner to be met with two shadowy figures, one with an axe raised above his head and ready to strike. All three girls screamed and stumbled over themselves to get away. 

"Hey wait!" The bigger of the two, who was wielding the axe said grabbing ChiChi's arm. "It's us."

"Goku?" ChiChi asked as though it were too good to be true.

"What are you all doing here?" Krillin asked, breathing hard. "The building's on fire."

"We were coming to find you." Bulma said. "Where's Vegeta?"

"A guy was about to shoot him." Krillin said.

"They both ran off." Goku said. "They were heading this way but we lost them."

"Well they weren't the way we came from." ChiChi said. "They must've gone that way." She pointed down the same hall that Goku and Krillin had come from but in the opposite direction.

"Hey kids!" A voice shouted from down the hall the girls had come from. "Are you all okay!"

All of the teenagers turned toward the voice. It was a firefighter.

The man turned to yell at somebody else. "I've found someone!" He headed over to them, and was soon followed by five other men. "Is there anyone else in the building?" The man asked once he'd reached them.

"Yes!" Bulma answered. "We think he went that way." She indicated the direction ChiChi had said earlier.

"Okay." The man said motioning two men to go down the hall. "We'll get him. The rest of you have to get ou..."

A gunshot cut him off. Before the firefighter could blink, Goku was charging down the hallway in the direction it came from. "Young man!" The firefighter yelled starting to run after him. "It isn't safe there!" He turned to the rest of the fire fighters who were trying to restrain Bulma and ChiChi and escort the four remaining teenagers out of the building. "Call for backup and ambulances! We have gunshots! I repeat! We have gunshots!"

* * *

He was going to die! He was finally going to die! Rehtaf stood staring at the boy he had spawned a giddy sensation creeping up spine. Vegeta was leaning against the wall clutching his shoulder and trying not to show fear. The boy kept his gaze fixed on his defiantly, but Rehtaf knew he was afraid. 

When Rehtaf had followed Vegeta into the room, Vegeta had hidden behind the door and tried to attack him with a hunk of metal that looked suspiciously like a robot arm. Rehtaf had spun around before Vegeta had even had the chance to strike him and fired. The shot he had fired had hit his shoulder. It was bleeding heavily, but Rehtaf didn't think it was lethal enough.

Taking aim again, he smirked. He had prepared a long monologue on the car ride back into West City for just this moment, but now that he was here, he decided against using it. Too much could go wrong. He wanted to finish it off quick.

Some voices distracted him for a split second, but that small amount of time was just enough for Vegeta to push himself off the wall, charge toward him, and grab the gun. Rehtaf was startled by the sudden movement, but he didn't lose hold of his weapon.

The two struggled over the gun even after three men burst into the room followed closely by a fourth.

Vegeta could see the anger in his father's eyes as Goku, who was still wielding an axe, and three fire fighters burst in. The men paused for a second before Goku charged in like a line backer and tackled Rehtaf to the floor. The firemen ran over immediately and worked to subdue the murderer. Goku backed away, but Rehtaf proved to be too much for the firemen to handle. He wrenched his arm free of them, having somehow managed to keep his gun in his hand no matter how much the men tried to pull it out and fired four shots.

Rehtaf didn't know how many bullets hit his son, but he saw him slam back into the wall and then slide down. The flow of blood that he saw coming from his forehead was enough for him and he promptly stopped struggling and dropped his now emptied gun to the floor. Two of the firemen escorted him out of the room while the other went over to check his now surely dead son.

Rehtaf took one look back as he left the room and was satisfied.

* * *

Vegeta, despite what his father thought, was not dead, though he felt as though he would be soon. 

He felt a light touch on his shoulder and directed his blurry vision toward the direction he assumed the person would be in.

"Geta." The person whispered, his voice trembling and laced with pain.

Vegeta just groaned.

Another voice was saying something but Vegeta couldn't hear what it was.

Vegeta tried to focus on the person in front of him but his vision was starting to blacken. "Geta. Stay with us." The person said again and started to say something else. Vegeta didn't hear him however. His world faded into darkness.

* * *

"Is he going to be okay?" Goku asked as he hobbled quickly down the hall being supported by a firefighter on each side. He had received a bullet in his thigh from Rehtaf's shooting spree. 

Vegeta had been carried out of the building already by a very large firefighter who had reached the room soon after Rehtaf had been taken out. Two other firefighters went with them. The rest of the firefighters, consisting of only three, assisted Goku out of the building.

"From my medical training, which you must realize is not very extensive, I believe that he ought to be fine. The bulled didn't enter his brain; it just cracked his skull. Although any case like this is very serious, it's not as bad as it could be." The firefighter, named Jose, answered.

"Now about you." The firefighter on his right said. "They'll probably have to amputate that leg."

"WHAT!" Goku yelled in terror.

"I'm just kidding." The man chuckled.

"You're not supposed to kid with people during traumatic situations." Jose admonished. He seemed to be of higher rank than the rest.

"Sorry kid." The firefighter, who didn't seem much older than Goku himself, said.

It didn't take long at all for them to get out of the building. The fire seemed to be under control, but the yard was still swarming with activity. Goku was immediately placed on a stretcher and carted over to a waiting ambulance. As he was being loaded in, he saw ChiChi, wrapped in a blanket, running over in a panic.

"Are you okay?" She yelled as she pushed her way to his side.

"Yeah." Goku said looking behind her for familiar faces. He didn't see any. "Where is everyone?"

"Krillin was taken to the hospital right after we got out. Juuachi went with him. Vegeta was taken only a minute ago, and Bulma's with him. Are you sure you're okay?"

She climbed into the back of the ambulance with him. The doors were closed and they drove off.

"What about that guy?" Goku asked.

"I saw him." ChiChi said. "He didn't look too crazy. Anyway, he got in back of the cop car without a problem and they drove him off."

* * *

If anyone wanted to know about the Jo/Laurie thing, it's from _Little Women_ (which I do not own). 


	40. Moving On

Chapter 39- Moving On

"Vegeta will be fine. The bullet didn't go into his brain. He only has a small crack and a minor concussion. We've pulled the bullet from his shoulder, fixed his head up a bit, and put in a few stitches. I noticed that he had previous injuries, but nothing seemed to be out of place—more than it should be anyway." The doctor, dressed in green scrubs told the group of people gathered in the waiting room. He looked at his clipboard and then back to the wide-eyed and worried teens. "We removed the bullet from the other boy...what was his...Goku!...Goku's leg with no problems. His femur is fractured and he'll have to stay off it for a while. The burns on all three of the boys were not horrible, and they should all recover from that with only minimal scarring. Two of them are in the same room, as per requests" He eyed Bulma. "and the other one will be joining them after a few other checks."

"Can we visit them?" ChiChi asked.

"Sure. Room 378. Just down the hall." The doctor pointed which way, and then left.

The three girls scurried out of the waiting room and down the hallway until they reached the room the doctor indicated. They walked in with a bit more composure than they'd had a minute ago to find Goku and Krillin awake and staring at them.

"Oh good." Goku said looking relieved. "I thought you were somebody here to give us shots."

ChiChi rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's ridiculous phobia.

"Grab a chair." Krillin said.

"So what about Vegeta?" Goku asked.

"He's fine. It's not as bad as it looked, apparently." Bulma said. "I'm bribing the staff to put you in the same room, by the way."

"Oh is that how that happened?" Krillin mused.

Goku chuckled at Bulma's news. "And here I thought they really liked us."

The gang continued to talk, carefully avoiding any mention of what had happened earlier, until Vegeta was rolled in.

He was still unconscious, but the doctors said that he would wake up soon.

The teenagers continued to talk, but lowered their voices.

About an hour later, a low groan was heard from Vegeta's bed. Bulma immediately scurried over, motioning for the other girls to stay where they were.

Vegeta's eyes were fluttering open just as Bulma approached. He seemed to be confused as he looked around with half glazed eyes.

Bulma rested a light hand on his cheek and gently stroked it. "Vegeta?" She whispered. "Are you with us?"

His eyes finally settled on her and he nodded slowly.

"You feeling okay, baby." She asked him softly.

He nodded again.

"You can go back to sleep if you want." She said. "We're all staying here."

Vegeta looked over to see the other people in the room, and then looked back to Bulma. "Thanks." He whispered hoarsely before his eyes slowly closed again.

* * *

Goku and Krillin were released from the hospital after a few days, but Vegeta was forced to remain. He was moved to his own room, which he was extremely grateful for after spending three days in the same room as Goku and Krillin.

Bulma's parents had come home the day after the fire. The three of them were staying at a nearby hotel until everything that the fire had damaged could be repaired.

Bulma came by everyday to talk to Vegeta and give him company. To her relief, the shot to his head had indeed been less serious than it looked. In less than a week, Vegeta was able to walk, though he was a bit wobbly.

Bulma sometimes brought movies or games when she visited, but usually they just talked. Vegeta, by nature, was not fond of conversation, but Bulma always pestered him until he talked to her. The more she did that, and the more time she spent with him, the more Vegeta realized how much he really liked her. He was actually willing to talk to her, and usually even enjoyed their conversations and playful arguments. He would watch the clock all day, until she was out of school and came to visit him. He always felt his heart lift when she walked into the room, and he worried when she was late. He had never felt the way he felt about her, and it confused him.

Bulma was not so confused. She had always thought that she loved Yamcha, but now she realized that it hadn't been that at all. With Vegeta, she was willing to just sit and talk to him, instead of constantly groping and kissing as most of her relationship with Yamcha had consisted of. Some days, if he fell asleep, she would just sit in silence and watch him. This, she knew, was love.

* * *

After nearly three weeks, Vegeta was allowed to leave the hospital. Capsule Corp. had been returned to its former glory, and Vegeta was put back into his old room.

He was allowed back to school after a few days, and was dismayed to find that everyone still stared at him and asked him questions. He had hoped that they wouldn't.

He knew the trial was approaching, and he was getting more nervous about it everyday. Some nights he could hardly sleep, and his school work suffered for it.

Bulma had started to worry about him, but she didn't say anything. This, she knew, was something that he had to handle on his own, and she knew that he wouldn't want her to push him to talk. He would come when he was ready.

He always did.

And she was always there, ready to listen, or just to _be there_.

* * *

Vegeta sat in the back of the court room, his heart thumping. He was silently praying that he wouldn't have to testify. He didn't think he could do it.

When his father had been brought in, he had looked shocked for a second to see Vegeta there. Then, he regained himself and sent Vegeta the most hateful glare Vegeta had ever seen. Vegeta had just sat there frozen. He couldn't even look away.

"Will the defense rise." The judge said with distaste as he stared down at the man in handcuffs before him. Vegeta watched as his father and his attorney stood. "Bailiff, please read the charges."

A man in uniform also stood and began to read off of a paper. "Thedrick Senovitz, you are charged with murder in the first degree of four people, being affiliated with assassins, repeated attempts at murder, holding two people hostage, stalking, kidnapping, assault on a minor, breaking and entering, child abuse, domestic violence, arson, possession of illegal drugs, forcing illegal drugs on a minor, and car theft."

"Is that all?" The judge asked fully expecting the man to continue.

"Yes sir." The bailiff answered.

"Well then. Defense how do you plead?"

"Your honor," The lawyer, Edward Unst, began. "my client is not mentally sound."

"Can you prove this?"

"Yes sir. The psychiatrist at the West City Police Department, has examined him and reached the same conclusion."

"So in pleading insanity, you are saying that your client is guilty of all these charges?" The judge asked, scowling even more.

"Yes sir."

"If he is insane, he cannot receive the death penalty, but, I would like to hear from this psychiatrist myself."

"Patricia Sandsworth, would you please take the stand."

A woman, probably in her early thirties, with short cropped black hair rose and walked to the stand. After the bailiff swore her in, she sat down.

Unst walked to stand before her. "Miss Sandsworth," He began. "You have examined Mr. Senovitz correct."

"Correct." She stated.

"And upon this examination, what conclusions can you make about his mental health?"

"Mr. Senovitz is a very complex case. I could not diagnose him with any specific disorder, but it was plain to me that he was mentally disturbed. Years of alcoholism and drug addictions have obviously altered his mental state and destroyed his ability to think rationally, particularly in his ability to distinguish bad from good. While he could point out people who he though were bad, he displayed an inability to clearly tell me what made them good or bad or their actions right or wrong. His case is not a surface level dementia, but a malfunction in the cerebrum caused by stress, drugs, and a degraded mental state."

"Would he be a danger to himself or other people if placed in jail."

"Mr. Senovitz presents no danger to himself at the moment, but is a clear danger to others if left unsupervised. With the proper treatment and care, however, I believe it is possible to stop his violent tendencies. No such care can be provided in any prison. In fact, it is highly probable that placing him into a prison setting will result in him becoming more violent."

"Thank you Miss Sandsworth. Nothing further."

"Does the prosecution have any questions for Miss. Sandsworth?"

"No your honor."

"In that case, I am sentencing Mr. Senovitz to be placed into the West City Mental Asylum for sixty years, during which time, he shall undergo treatment to rectify his mental state." The judge banged his gavel once. "Court dismissed."

Vegeta released a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding at the judge's decree. Although he was relieved that his father was now completely out of his life, he was kind of disappointed that he would not serve time in jail. Completely unbidden, his thoughts traveled to his mother. He'd always tried not to think of her, of what his father had done to her. He thought his father was getting off easy, far too easy for all of the horrible crimes he'd committed.

As he watched the police escort his father from the court room, Vegeta tried to feel at least some satisfaction in the fact that he would probably never be able to walk about freely again. He couldn't.

"You okay?" Someone asked. He looked to the speaker: Detective Johnson.

"Yeah." Vegeta said quietly his eyes moving back to his lap. He was at least relieved that he hadn't had to testify.

"Your friends are waiting outside." The procession had been closed to the public.

"Okay." Vegeta said standing. He was about to leave, when the detective lightly grabbed his arm.

"Look if you ever need someone to talk to…"

Vegeta just nodded. He knew that he'd never take the detective up on the offer, and from the look on the detective's face, he supposed that he knew it too.

* * *

Bulma, Goku, Chuckie, Gee, and ChiChi were waiting right outside the chamber door. They all looked at him expectantly.

"He pleaded insane." Vegeta informed them trying to keep his voice even. "They're giving him 60 in an asylum." No one commented, knowing that that wasn't what he'd hoped for.

Chuckie gave him a hug. "How about we get something to eat." She suggested.

Vegeta shrugged.

Goku draped and arm around Vegeta's shoulder in a brotherly way as they started walking toward the exit.

Detectives Johnson and Brianna had been standing off to the side a bit, but came over to them as soon as they started walking. "We're going to escort you guys out. There are a lot of photographers." Brianna told them.

They all walked out to the car, everyone working to shield Vegeta from the photographers as they chased them down the sidewalk. Bulma and Vegeta got into Gee's car, while Goku and ChiChi went to Goku's truck. The photographers were still trying to get around the two detectives and get a clear picture as Gee's car drove away.

"You sure you're okay, Vegeta?" Bulma asked once they were on the road.

"I'm fine." He answered.

Bulma scooted over toward him and then leaned on him. She smiled a bit as Vegeta wrapped an arm around her. "Maybe we could just order a pizza." Bulma suggested.

"Yeah." Vegeta agreed.

* * *

After the trial, Vegeta moved back into his old apartment. Bulma had begged him to stay at Capsule Corp. with her, but Vegeta had explained to her that life at Capsule Corp didn't suit him. He wasn't used to being catered to. He wanted to get back to his old job, and to his old apartment.

Bulma had known that she'd still see him everyday, at school, at his apartment, and once she turned 18, at his job. They had hung out together after school, until Vegeta was well enough to begin practice, and then, Bulma would go to his apartment, which he had given her the key to, and wait for him with supper before he went to work. A few times, Vegeta had sneaked her into Gee's just for fun, usually on Saturday nights.

The first time he'd done it, she'd stayed beside him the entire night, only moving when it was so late that most of the people had left. Vegeta had watched suspiciously from his post by the door as Bulma had whispered something to Chuckie. He grew even more suspicious when Chuckie had disappeared into the back room, and some slow music had begun to play on the bar's speakers.

Bulma had run over to him and started pulling him to the middle of the floor. He'd panicked once he'd realized what she'd wanted, and started giving her random arguments as to why he couldn't dance with her. Once she'd argued with him until he admitted that his shoulder didn't hurt, and Gee had told him that he'd allow it, Bulma had wrapper her arms around his neck and pressed herself lightly against him.

Truthfully, he'd never danced before, except for with Bulma's mother and Chuckie those times that they'd tried to teach him.

He'd been totally frozen at first, but Bulma had gently placed his hands on her hips and led him until he'd gotten over his idea that dancing was difficult.

It soon became their habit. They would wait until most of the people went home, and then Chuckie would put on some slow music they'd dance. Bulma's parents never found out about those times, but it was those quiet times, with dim lights and slow music, when the two could just enjoy each other's company without anyone judging them that Vegeta and Bulma felt closest.

* * *

Vegeta stood silently as he gazed through the glass. He had no idea why he came here. He never wanted to see this man again, yet for some reason he had come to visit him. Bulma had said it was something about past demons, but he had hardly paid attention to her.

"Father." He finally said.

The man he had addressed cocked his head slightly but did not get off the bed he had been sitting on, nor did he turn to face him.

Vegeta didn't know what to say to this man, so he just lapsed back into the same uncomfortable silence he had been upholding for the last ten minutes. Somehow, seeing this man in padded walls and medical wear did not satisfy him. He had hoped it would. For some reason though, he was saddened. Seeing his father made him wish that he'd had a normal life, a normal childhood. He wanted to hate this man like he had for his entire life, but seeing him reduced to this state, somehow had him wanting to be civil toward him.

"So...uh...how have you been?" He asked grabbing a chair from against the wall and sitting down. He got no answer, so decided to continue talking. "Well I graduated from high school a few months ago, and I'm going to college at Northern to play football. I've got a girlfriend too. I'm going to ask her to marry me. I think I'm going to miss my old job though as much as I didn't want to stay there, but I'll still be working there through..."

"What do you want?" The man didn't move when he said it.

"Huh?"

"Did you come here just to brag? To rub it in my face that I lost and you won?"

"Won?"

"They've been trying to "treat" me. They read me stories and ask me what the moral is. They make me talk about you and what you did."

"Did?"

"They try to convince me that I was wrong...about everything. About you. Do you think I was wrong?"

"Yes."

"What do you know?" He grumbled. "This is all your fault to begin with."

"Don't you think it odd that you're the only person who thinks the way you do? That everyone else says you're wrong?"

"Popular belief isn't absolute."

Vegeta didn't know what to say to that. He knew what he said was true in some cases. "But couldn't you just..."

"Just what? Try to believe everyone is good? Let evil just run rampant? I created you, what does anyone care whether I destroy you? People do it all the time."

Vegeta just sighed. He couldn't contradict the last part, and he couldn't think of anything to say to the first. The man was infuriating. "Why couldn't you have just been a normal father?" He whispered, but his father heard him.

"Normal? You mean just blend in and do whatever everyone else does? Follow "society" straight to the underworld?"

"Not everyone's the same. You can be a good person and not be a vigilante. Plant a tree, recycle, support orphanages, go to church, join the police force. I don't know. You could have just had a job and supported your family."

"Why are you still here?"

"I don't know." Vegeta said, and truly he didn't. "I guess…I guess just because you're my father."

"The devil is your father boy."

Vegeta just stared at him. Slowly, he stood. He was about to walk away when he suddenly remembered something.

"…_The symbol means evil…once the symbol is carved, it will judge you. If you are really evil the mark will stay on your chest forever. If you are not, it will disappear…"_

Without saying a word, Vegeta lifted his shirt. His father's eyes widened at the sight of Vegeta's scar-less, symbol-less chest.

Vegeta left without looking back, a small smirk on his face.

* * *

"So?" Bulma asked as Vegeta got into the car. There was a light drizzle outside, but the day was pretty warm.

"Still crazy." Vegeta said. Wiping some water off of his arm.

Bulma looked at him to see if that was bad or good. She saw his smirk and smiled a bit. "So where to?" She asked after a few seconds.

"Huh?" Vegeta asked. He'd been lost in thought.

"Where are we going?"

"Doesn't matter." Vegeta said.

Bulma was about to put the car in drive when Vegeta grabbed her hand. "Wait." He said digging in his pocket.

Bulma looked on curiously. Her eyes lit up as Vegeta pulled out a small box and opened it. Inside laid a beautiful golden ring.

"Bulma, will you marry me?" He asked, fear and hope mingling in his eyes.

Bulma smiled a dazzling smile as she jumped into his lap. "Yes!" She said while smothering his face with kisses. "Yes!"

The End

* * *

Well I hope you enjoyed it. I must say that it's a relief to finally have finished with this. I thought it was a nice touch to finish it for Christmas. Hehe.

Merry Christmas!


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